Approaching Sun
by ANerdInAllHerGlory
Summary: After 2 years, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note** : In honor of Valentine's Day, I'm announcing the start of a new post-Sasuke Shinden fic. This story will address the development of Sasuke and Sakura's relationship after Sasuke returns to the village following Sasuke Shinden. *This fic is tightly adapted to the Sasuke Shinden and Sakura Hiden. Please read the novels or refer to the summaries. I'm tired of waiting for their story, so have decided to write it myself. ( _ signifies time lapse, and . . . . signifies transitions between p.o.v.)

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Summary** : After 2 years, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. One specific pink-haired individual has perhaps waited for him with far more dedication than anyone else. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village.

 **Chapter 1** : "A New Dawn"

Looking down at the letter in his hands, Uchiha Sasuke read the sloppy script slowly. It was from Naruto, who was congratulating him on his success protecting the Hidden Leaf Village. His idiot friend was saying something about the Uchiha's quest of atonement and then mentioned how Sakura thought his efforts were very much like the members of the once proud Konoha Police force. Maybe it was the overwhelming sense of nostalgia that came with those words that had the Uchiha turning on his heels. Or maybe it was this sudden desire to stand, if just for a moment, in front of that building that had once displayed the crest of his clan. Flashes of his older brother carrying him on his back came to the front of his mind. Perhaps it was time he returned home.

Sakura gathered the herbs she needed for the healing poultice she had in mind. Turning, she began to walk briskly down the road towards the hospital. The pink-haired nurse struggled to meet the new demands that were left in the wake of the recent phenomena of exploding humans. Sadly, there was nothing to be done for the innocent lives who had been used as bombs. However, with Hinata's help, Sakura was able to recognize and remove any strange chakra that was present in other individuals. Other medic ninjas in the lands of Water and Lightning quickly followed the kunoichi's lead soon after she relayed her methods to Kirigakure and Kumogakure. Within weeks, the foreign chakra had vanished and the villages soon pursued their pre-existing peace. Haruno Sakura was then able to look at the various other injuries related to the strange explosions. Ninja who had been injured during their attempts to stave off exploding humans were her most pressing patients and suffered mainly from severe burns. Burns were well within her range of healing capability. However, Sakura's supply of expendable chakra could only be stretched so far. She began to feel a little fatigued by the end of the day and more and more burn victims were coming in by the hour. Not only this, but the other villages were facing the same demands. For the benefit of herself and the other villages, Sakura spent the evenings developing a very strong burn solvent that could easily be replicated and passed on. The herbs she had now, were just what she needed.

Clanging into the medical lab at 2:00 a.m. wasn't an abnormal habit of hers anymore. Except for the few late night roamers and ninja on watch, there weren't many individuals up this late. Sakura found that this was her best time for productive and undistracted work. Laying out her medical supplies on the table before her, she began her craft immediately. Her plan was to create a compound that acted as a second skin, thin but hard enough to touch without peeling away. The idea was that as the solution dried over the burned skin, a protective shell would form on the outside while keeping the medicine on the inside. Over time, with frequent application combined with chakra, the covering would allow new skin to form without damage from reopening or splitting. How she would manage to create this, she only had a faint idea. But that's why she was here to test and experiment.

Sakura looked down at her left arm. Although there were several adequate patients being housed at the hospital due to their critical condition, Sakura felt that neither waking them up at this hour or using them as guinea pigs were good for their recovery. On the bright side, she had managed to carefully collect chakra throughout the afternoon and had enough in store to continuously heal any minor self-inflicted injuries that could react sorely to her new cure.

Glancing over to the wall, Sakura found a candle that she had lit previously. Grasping it in her right hand, she held the flame under the bottom of her forearm, allowing it to sear her skin. She didn't even flinch. The pain was more than bearable in comparison to anything she had ever suffered as a ninja. She applied the solution gradually to the charred place on her arm and slightly frowned at the severe stinging sensation spreading across her arm. She bent down over her scroll and noted to add less harrow leaf in the mixture, then began to proceed.

Sakura lost track of time as the faint line of sunshine began to trace the outcropping of trees beyond the village gates. It seemed that the sun was rising earlier and earlier recently. Glancing down at the large mess she had made in front of her, Sakura sighed and lifted up the small container she held in her hand before her. It wasn't much to show for her efforts but she would let the results speak for her.

6:23 a.m. She had done it again. That was twice this week that the kunoichi had gone without sleep. Her shift at the hospital began at 8. Perhaps if she hurried home, she could catch an hour of sleep. She frowned down at the mess on the table. She'd clean it up before work, she thought as she walked out the door and down the stairs. Sakura carried the new medicine with a growing pride and relief, thinking solely of her patients.

She stopped mid-step when she sensed a very familiar chakra slowly approaching the village. Instantly on guard, she snapped her head in the direction of the village gates. Could this be real or was it another trick? Perhaps it was another Sasuke clone intent to capture her. How many times had she imagined this very thing to happen? Was it still her hopeful imagination? Sakura waited a minute for her head to clear. The chakra grew increasingly and steadily. Forgetting sleep, Sakura ran towards the gates.

. . . .

Sasuke stepped off of the forest path, stopping as he looked at the familiar sight of the leaf village gates looming above him. Taking in a deep breath, the Uchiha sighed and began to walk forward. Returning was difficult for him, for many reasons. First, being in the village meant that he wasn't tracking down Kaguya and Sasuke couldn't help the nagging feeling that he was losing time. Not only this, but being in the village posed a risk to everyone around him. He was the last Uchiha and even after achieving the peace between nations, there were still individuals who sought him for his power. Chino and Nowaki were two of many that Sasuke knew would come for him.

He removed all emotion from his face as he approached the guards waiting for him at the entrance. It had been years since he left the village but Sasuke knew better than to pretend that these people might overlook his past crimes. He was lucky to leave the village at all, barely being able to escape an eternity of darkness in a strait jacket. However, instead of being given a cold greeting by the guards, two men whom he barely recognized, lifted their hands in greeting.

"Uchiha?"they called out, squinting through the morning darkness. As he came closer, the two men gave him large grins as they recognized the face that matched his chakra.

"Welcome home!" they replied in unison. This was not the greeting that Sasuke had prepared himself for. Since his return after the war and even up until his departure, he had gotten looks of disgust from everyone he came into contact with: ninja, civilians, and even Akamaru had growled at him when Sasuke happened to pass by him; he had frowned at the dog and was tempted to tell the mutt that he liked cats better. Most of these encounters, of course, happened in the very beginning, right before higher authorities demanded that the Sixth Hokage bind him and lock him in prison. He hadn't expected anything else from the village he betrayed and offered no resistance when Kakashi escorted him directly from the battlefield to the jail. He would pay for his mistakes, willingly.

The guards in front of Sasuke, however, didn't flinch or sneer at him as he made his approach. In fact, they began to congratulate him on defeating Chino and stopping the exploding humans. As he turned to acknowledge them, Sasuke felt a mixture of feelings with those words. Should he be happy that the village knew about his efforts to protect them? Sasuke had originally planned to be the village's burden wielder, just like his older brother. The man working in the shadows. Itachi never received the gratitude that he had deserved, so why should he? Sasuke fought down the familiar anger that rose in his throat at the thought. He sighed. Even though he still felt uncomfortable with this praise, he remembered that he wasn't that angry person anymore. He had changed.

"Sasuke-kun?"

Glancing to his right, Sasuke saw a familiar pink-haired kunoichi. The sun was rising steadily behind him and the dawn illuminated her features, making her hair seem a darker shade of pink. It was shorter, he noted. It had been over two years since he'd last seen her. She stood a few feet away from him, just inside the gates and made no attempt to come forward. She was panting slightly and he guessed that she had run here when she picked up on his chakra. He hadn't been expecting to see her at this hour in the morning. In fact, his goal was to arrive before dawn as to avoid as much attention as he possibly could.

He moved away from the guards and closer to the person he had once considered to be dear to him. He stood in front of her, a swarm of childhood memories coming back to him. It seemed so long ago and the visions seemed to belong to someone else; the person who Sasuke was trying to bring back a little more each day. The Sasuke he had been 3 years ago certainly wouldn't have given the memories much consideration. Maybe he was changing after all.

Sakura's eyes grew big at his nearness and she remained silent, utterly speechless at the miracle in front of her. Sasuke guessed her thoughts and decided he would break the silence this time.

"I'm home, Sakura."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note** : Sorry for the wait! Despite my 19 hours of required classes, a pre-internship, and a part-time job, I intend to keep this story updated as often as I am able. Also, you guys should know that I enjoy the challenge of writing as closely to character as I am able. For those of you want a quick developing romance with unrealistic scenarios, I'm sorry to disappoint you. It will happen, but realistically and through proper plot progression! Can't wait. As always, let me know what you think!

*This fic is tightly adapted to the Sasuke Shinden and Sakura Hiden. Please read the novels or refer to the summaries. I'm tired of waiting for their story, so have decided to write it myself. ( _ signifies time lapse, and . . . . signifies transitions between p.o.v.)

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Summary** : After 2 years, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. One specific pink-haired individual has perhaps waited for him with far more dedication than anyone else. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village.

 **Chapter 2** : "Setback"

"I can't believe it. You're finally home."

The Uchiha responded with a small tilt to his lip and if she would have blinked, Sakura would have missed it. However, Sakura was unable to blink as she gazed up at the individual she had gone more than 2 years without seeing or hearing from. He looked terribly warn, her medically trained eyes assessing his form for any signs of physical injuries. Although he appeared unharmed, Sakura could tell that he had been involved in recent battle due to nicks and bruises on his skin, as well as the various tears in his cloak. Even though he seemed taller and his hair was longer, he looked just like the Sasuke she remembered; his hair was even rising up in the back to form his usual spikey Uchiha hair. Except now, his hair covered his left eye- the eye she knew was the Rinnegan. Something in his look had changed since she'd last seen him. Was that the trace of emotion in his expression?

"Yes," was his audible reply, before he looked back at the guards who kept their gazes fixed on the two of them. He frowned at them and moved away from her, walking through the gates. Sakura felt unsure of whether or not it was okay to follow him, until he slowed and glanced back in her direction as if to ask her if she was coming. It made her heart jump and it took every ounce of her willpower to keep from running up to him and hugging Sasuke out of her excitement. She caught up to him quickly and the two began to walk in the direction of the Hokage's building.

She couldn't believe that he was finally home and was here, walking beside her. She had practiced this reunion in her minds so many times, but Sakura found herself at a loss for words. After a few seconds of silence, Sakura asked, "Where are you headed?"

He made brief eye contact with her before stating, "I need to report to the Hokage to relay important intel and notify him of my return."

 _Of course_ , she thought to herself. _Stupid question._ After two years of not talking to him, Sakura felt slightly out of practice. Starting to feel slightly insecure and unsure of what to say to him, she glanced down at their feet as they walked. Sakura noticed suddenly how casually they were walking together, like it was something they always did together. Sakura couldn't help but notice how slowly Sasuke was walking, as if he were actually taking his time so that they could walk together. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on her part.

"You're up early," he stated plainly, glancing up at the brightening sky above them.

Sakura was somewhat shocked at his observation and giggled. "I could say the same about you."

He made no reply so Sakura continued, "I was just working on a healing treatment for the burn victims at the hospital. Not a lot time to waste these days." She raised the small casing of solvent in her hand, forgetting that she had even had it.

Sasuke glanced over at her then, raising an eyebrow. "Burn victims?"

"Yes," she replied. "The exploding humans did a number on a lot of individuals who put their lives at risk trying to stop them." She noted his frown at her words and wondered why he would do so. "Thank you, by the way," she stated briefly.

"For what," he asked, still looking forward as they walked.

"For what you did to help us. For what you did to help them. Without you, we wouldn't have been able to-" He stopped walking suddenly and turned to her, cutting Sakura short.

"Without me, none of this would have happened." He was looking directly at her, challenging her to contradict him. Her heart began to pound furiously under his direct gaze. Sakura worked up her courage.

"That's a ridiculous statement. If it weren't for you, those two would have walked around with hate in their hearts for the rest of their lives. What you did was a good thing. You helped them." He simply stared at her and Sakura offered him a small smile before continuing to walk. He followed, saying nothing.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, Sakura simply enjoying his company. Despite the rising sun, the village suddenly seemed brighter to Sakura. The colors of the buildings more fantastic in the dim light. Sasuke returning to the Leaf Village made it feel more like home, almost as if she were returning, too.

"Sasuke, there's so much you have missed. So much I want to tell you," she stated, turning to him. Where would she even begin to start?

Sasuke gave her a slight nod, giving her permission. Sakura smiled and began to tell him about all that had transpired in his absence: Naruto and Hinata's wedding and how everyone was at a loss to what to get them for wedding gifts; she even added a grumbled remark about some sort of baking competition between herself and her Yamanaka friend. She even told him about Shikamaru and Temari's engagement and relayed the details of Gaara's 20th birthday celebration.

Sakura noted that two years had certainly not changed his conversation skills. He remained quiet throughout the entire story. He nodded at appropriate intervals and Sakura appreciated the fact that he was trying. The sun was almost completely above the forest line now and Sakura fell silent when they came upon the Administrative Division of the Academy. Sasuke began to open the door before she stopped just outside, not following him in. She hung back, looking to her left, and Sasuke turned to her.

"Forgive me, I have to return to the hospital. My shift starts soon and I'll have a mob of angry patients to deal with if I am late." She gave him a small smile as he stood waiting with the door open. She felt uncomfortable at his blank stare and thought that maybe she should just walk away.

"Ah," he finally stated before releasing the door and turning back to face her.

Placing her arms shyly behind her back, Sakura began to work up her courage. "Listen Sasuke, if you need anything while you're here, you can come to me."

He moved toward her slightly, allowing a small smile to tilt the corner of his mouth. Sakura's heart stopped at his next words.

"Thank you," he said and went inside.

. . . .

Sasuke looked over at the clock on the wall. 7:58. _Where was that man?_ Sasuke had always known Kakashi to be late for everything, including the meetings, missions, and training sessions back when Team 7 were kids, but did not stop to consider this bad habit might carry over to an official role such as Hokage. The Hokage was supposed to be in his office at the crack of dawn, prepared and ready to assign missions and review official paperwork. By the looks of the towering piles of unorganized documents all over the Hokage's desk, Sasuke could see why Kakashi might refuse to show up on time.

Five frustrating minutes later, a very familiar ninja with a ponytail opened the door, yawning. He stopped for a second when he noticed Sasuke, but entered the room anyway and crossed his arms behind his head. "I thought that might be you Sasuke, but seeing you in person is still as surprising as ever." He yawned again.

"Shikamaru," Sasuke acknowledged, "Sometimes I wonder how anything gets done around here with the two of you in charge." Shikamaru let out another yawn, unfazed by the Uchiha's blatant remark.

"Dealing with you is going to be such a drag," he sighed, moving to a smaller desk on the left side of the room, taking a seat at the chair in the corner. He rubbed at his eyes and began to read one of the many papers on his desk.

Sasuke stifled his impatience. "I need to report to the Hokage. Where is he?"

"Relax. I'm certain he will be here sooner or later," Shikamaru replied, gesturing at another chair in the room, "In the meantime, have a seat."

It was at that exact moment, Sasuke sensed the chakra of his previous sensei as the white-haired ninja made his way to his office. He entered in an almost identical process that Shikamaru had, looking tired and uninterested at the work day ahead. Kakashi glanced over at Sasuke and the look on his face said that he had not been expecting to see the Uchiha anytime soon.

"Sasuke. It's been too long," he stated after a few silent seconds, walking over to his former student and placing a hand on the Uchiha's right shoulder. "I didn't recognize you without the turban. I see you've lost the poncho, as well. Such a shame. I thought they suited you."

At the mutual laughter of both Shikamaru and Kakashi, Sasuke sighed. Yes, these two were in charge of the safety of the Leaf Village. They were making his job a whole lot harder.

Taking his hand from his student's shoulder, the 6th Hokage retreated to the chair behind his desk, looking at the stacks of unfinished paperwork. He immediately turned to Sasuke, giving him his undivided attention. Sasuke guessed that it was merely another way of distracting himself from the heavy workload surrounding him on all sides.

"I have important intel to relay to you in regards to what we last spoke about. I request a meeting with you and Naruto."

Kakashi raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "I see. Unfortunately, Naruto is not in the village at this time."

Sasuke frowned at this information. Mentally scanning the village for his loud friend's powerful chakra signature, he found nothing. "When will he back? It is crucial that I meet with the both of you."

Kakashi absently fingered the edges of the nearest pile of papers on his desk, but paused to look up at his former student's question. With Kakashi's silent evaluation of him, Sasuke could only guess what he was thinking. He inwardly winced as he felt Shikamaru's observant glare land on him. He realized what the both of them were thinking. How could he, who had been gone so long and remained absent of his own free will, start asking when his former teammate would come home? Hadn't they all asked the same question about him? He could only picture his friends as they continued to wonder when he would be back for good. Yet, they made no demands of him to return; they all extended him the patience that gave the Uchiha his freedom.

A small sting of guilt made his way to the front of his consciousness, but the Uchiha pushed the feeling away and kept an even stare at the Hokage. After the incident with Kido, and more recently, Chino and Fushin, Sasuke was even more firm in his resolution of absence. He presented a danger to his friends by even being alive. If his enemies still considered him a vagabond, they were less likely to seek him out at Konoha. Even after the Kido incident, when Sakura's life was threatened by a man who wanted the sharingan, Sasuke became even more cautious about returning home. He knew that weaker enemies would go for those close to him; even though he did show up to help, Sakura had already taken care of everything herself. His friends didn't need his protection from these types of enemies. Stronger enemies would either challenge Sasuke directly, or would either consider him so insignificant, that they would neither seek him or the village out; these enemies, Sasuke would have to find himself. Kaguya was one of them. He also took comfort in the fact that Naruto would be there to protect the village in the chance that an extremely dangerous enemy did show up.

Kakashi's answer snapped the Uchiha out of his increasingly deepening thoughts. "He only left just last night. His mission's length depends on its completion."

Sasuke sighed slightly in his frustration. He wanted to ask where Naruto would be located but he knew Kakashi would tell him the information was classified.

"I see," the Uchiha said, pondering his next move. How long was he willing to wait for Naruto? What if he missed something important by delaying his journey? How much time did he have left? Then again, with Naruto away, was this village safe from any real danger? Who would protect it while Naruto was gone? Sasuke glanced up at the two men before him. Kakashi wasn't even looking at him anymore, and was instead concealing a familiar little orange book between two sheets of unfinished paperwork, pretending to be working. Shikamaru was leaning his head in his right hand, starting to doze off. Sasuke sighed irritably at the two of them. He supposed he would have to wait until Naruto came home.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note** : Sorry for the wait! I'm finally getting a little time to myself for spring break. Hallelujah! More SasuSaku interaction in this one. Please, wait patiently between each chapter. Over the summer, I plan to update more frequently. As always, let me know what you guys think!

*This fic is tightly adapted to the Sasuke Shinden and Sakura Hiden light novels. Please read the novels or refer to the summaries. I'm tired of waiting for their story, so have decided to write it myself. ( _ signifies time lapse, and . . . signifies transitions between p.o.v.)

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Summary** : After 2 years, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. One specific pink-haired individual has perhaps waited for him with far more dedication than anyone else. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village.

 **Chapter 3** : "Things Remembered"

Sakura found that she was having a rather difficult time staying on task today. Every few minutes she caught herself glancing out the window towards the Hokage's tower, thinking of the man who she had seen this morning for the first time in two and a half years. Sakura had never found it difficult to concentrate on her job before, even going as far as to ensure that her focused mindset passed on to the rest of her work force. Today was entirely different. Endless streams of thought kept distracting the kunoichi as she replayed the events in her head from this morning over and over, reminding herself that Sasuke had actually come home and that she hadn't imagined everything. This Sasuke was the real one and not some cruel trick like Kido had used on her several months ago in hopes of capturing her in order to draw out the Uchiha. The man had underestimated her strength; not only did Sakura escape from his trap, but she managed to defeat him on her own while her friends took care of his subordinates. She remembered seeing Sasuke's fleeting form after he had defeated a few of Kido's lackeys, leaving nothing behind but flickers of flame. Sakura had been sorely disappointed at his disappearance but took comfort in the fact that Sasuke had indeed showed up to help her. Although he would never directly admit, Sakura knew that deep down he cared for his friends. It was proof that the old Sasuke was slowly coming back to them. The thought made her smile.

Absentmindedly applying the burn solvent to another patient, she almost missed what the shinobi was asking her. "Did I say something funny?"

She suddenly looked up at her patient and for the first time, really assessed her client. He was a red haired man with a scar running from his left ear to his chin. He was flashing her a large grin with his eyes closed, an expression that reminded her of Naruto. She registered the question, realizing that he was asking her about the smile she had just expressed without thinking.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was thinking about something else." She noticed the worried look her apprentice was giving her.

"Shame," her client said, leaning back on his good arm. "I thought someone was finally recognizing my comic potential."

Sakura giggled at that.

"See, I am funny!" the man said, then winced as Sakura added the last of the medicine to his right arm.

With her right hand, she began to run her chakra over the medicine to dull the sting she knew he was beginning to feel. His entire arm was a solid green limb of herbs that was putting off the sharpest smell. As her chakra touched it, the medicine instantly hardened, creating a thick cast around the burns to defend them but was still flexible enough to allow movement, though she advised against moving too much. Only her chakra would be able to soften it again for removal, but until then the medicine would stay put until the burns had healed.

From the frown on her patient's face, Sakura could tell that he would not be happy to have to deal with this makeshift cast.

"Right, then," she exclaimed, satisfied with her work. "I'm afraid all missions will be put on hold until those burns are healed up. No matter how hard you try, that is not coming off. However, to prevent itching, I advise you not to get it wet."

The shock that flashed across the red head's face made Sakura smile. "No more sauna?!"

Sakura put her hands on her hips. This man was becoming more like Naruto with every passing minute. "Absolutely not. Do you want to scald those burns before they even get a chance to heal?"

"But it smells terrible," he grimaced after holding it up to his nose and inhaling.

"You'll get used to it, I promise," she said, turning and reaching for the man's chart, locating his name at the top. _Mizuno, Haru._

"Alright, Mizuno-san, you are free to go. You are scheduled to come back in a few weeks. Make sure to remember what I told you," Sakura said, showing the man out. He nodded vigorously, making a show of holding his arm out as far away from himself as possible. He flashed her another big Naruto smile before exiting the building.

After finalizing a couple of notes on his chart, Sakura handed it back to her assistant.

"Sakura-sensei, is something the matter? You haven't been like yourself today."

She glanced over at the girl who was showing sincere concern for her. Sakura was annoyed with herself for being so obvious and not having better control of herself. She stopped herself from looking over at the clock.

Sakura was honestly relieved that nobody at the hospital had learned about Sasuke's return yet. Once the rumor began to spread, she'd be an open book to those who knew her best. She glanced back over to her apprentice.

"I'm fine, Kirai. Just a long night. It took me longer than expected to develop the burn solvent."

The two were walking down the hall towards the next hospital room. Kirai's concern vanished and was replaced by surprise. "You developed this on your own in just one night?! My goodness sensei, do you ever do anything besides work? You sure are something."

Sakura gave the girl a small smile as they entered the room. She managed to catch a glimpse of the clock just in time to see that she was two hours away from the end of her shift. Despite her undeniable distraction, today had been very successful. The only patient left was the last of the burn victims.

The sun was shining through the glass of the top floor of the hospital, creating streaks of pink and orange against the tile floor. Sakura was in the medical lab once again, cleaning up the mess that had seemed to grow as she made frequent stops here throughout the day, recreating the medicine she had just conjured this morning. The first few patients had taken to her first batch quite nicely and Sakura had been able to make necessary adjustments to the recipe as she tested it on more and more of her clients. Sakura hadn't been able to completely get rid of the stinging sensation like she had hoped, but that was a small issue if she paired her chakra with the medicine during the application. It helped nullify the sting. For those who had been severely injured, Sakura had to first heal major tissue damage with her chakra and then apply the medicine after most of it was completely healed.

Sakura had expired almost all of her reserves and was now running on what was left of her energy; not sleeping the night before hadn't left much to run on. If it werent for Sasuke's return, Sakura would be completely dead on her feet. She scraped the last of the herbs into an empty container and carried it with her to her office a couple floors down. Placing it on the crowded shelf to the left of her desk, Sakura was wondering where she should start to find Sasuke.

Should she even seek him out? What if he had already left? She had tried sensing his chakra signature throughout the day and had found nothing. Perhaps it was a precaution the Uchiha had taken to avoid causing a stir.

Running into an animated Ino two seconds after exiting the building told Sakura that this was not the case.

"Sakura! Did you hear?" her blonde friend said stopping a few inches from in front of her face. "I heard from Shikamaru and had to be the one to tell you! Sasuke's back!"

"Actually," Sakura started with a smile, rubbing the back of her head shyly. "I knew already. I saw him this morning."

"You WHAT?" Ino screeched, grabbing her friend by both of her shoulders. "What happened?!"

Sakura jerked away from her friend who was now staring at her with a surprised, expecting sort-of look. Her hands were high on her hips.

Sakura waved frantically, exclaiming, "Nothing! Nothing happened! I just walked with him to the Hokage's tower and-"

"YOU WALKED WITH HIM?! Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Ino's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"I haven't had the chance to!" Sakura defended, beginning to walk down the path towards the Hokage's monument. It was the honest truth. Besides, Sakura wasn't sure if Sasuke wanted anyone to know he was home; she certainly wouldn't be the one to tell anyone. Now that it seemed word had gotten out on its own, Sakura was grateful she had someone to talk to about it.

The two were walking besides each other now but Sakura couldn't seem to escape the sideways scrutiny of her friend who now seemed disappointed that her surprise had been spoiled. She jumped back a little when Ino leaned into her face with the same glare.

"What did you guys talk about?" she asked.

Sakura immediately wanted to say that they didn't talk about anything. Even though this was a lie and Sakura had replayed their conversation from this morning in her head on repeat all day long, Sakura didn't have much to tell her. They had only talked briefly and the short walk had seemed like only a few seconds.

"To be honest, there wasn't much said," she said simply.

Ino looked disappointed but didn't push the subject, to Sakura's surprise. As they reached the end of the corner, she noticed Sai standing in front of the Yamanaka flower shop. He had arms full of freshly cut flowers and Sakura could only guess that Ino had had him running around all day doing errands. Ino thanked him, swooping up the beautiful array of multicolored flowers in her arms and carrying them inside. Sakura exchanged a few polite words with Sai before Ino returned from the building. Sakura then realized that the two of them had evening plans together. Sakura felt a little lonely, watching as Sai took her friend's arm in his as they walked off together.

Before they left, Ino flashed a smile at her, wishing her a silent "good luck." It was odd, finding comfort in her friend's concern when they had once been brutal to one another over the same man. As her and Ino matured, trivial things like that didn't come between their friendship anymore. However, they did still find it necessary to compete over smaller things to remind each other that they were still rivals. Sakura smiled when she thought about their recent food pill baking competition over an argument that they had had that was started over a picture frame they both wanted to buy as a gift for Naruto's wedding.

Smiling at the memory, Sakura looked around as she noticed a few quick glances at her from passing ninja and other villagers. They looked away when she made eye contact. _Ah_ , she thought as she assessed these looks. News was spreading like wild fire. She knew by the glances that those individuals knew Sasuke was home and was either looking at her because they thought he might be with her, or that they half expected her to be displaying some sort of reaction to the news. Sakura frowned at this. She wondered where Sasuke was at the moment and how she would find him. By the scrutiny she was receiving from others, she was certain that he was still in the village.

Taking a steady breath, Sakura chased after Sai and Ino. "Sai! Wait a minute!"

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

Sasuke stared at the Uchiha symbol that was still incorporated into the insignia of the Konoha Military Police Force building. Sasuke had forgotten all about it during his time in prison. Even though he spent a year of his life in this very building, his eyesight had been sealed the entire time he had been a prisoner. He hadn't seen the symbol to remember that his clan had been its founders.

Well, not exactly, he corrected himself. It had been founded by the Senju and was given to the Uchiha as a sign of peace between the two clans. However, he couldn't help but remember a certain man in an orange mask telling Sasuke that this building and what it stood for had been the Senju's way of distancing the Uchiha and separating them from the Hokage's seat. Sasuke pushed the thoughts down as he felt his former anger spark deep down in his chest. No, he told himself. Tobirama, the reanimated second Hokage, had told him that this wasn't exactly the truth. In fact, the Konoha Military Police Force was meant to give the Uchiha a purpose, a funnel for their energy that would benefit the Leaf Village. Of course, that same Hokage said himself, that if benefitting the village meant getting themselves killed in the process, they would still be considered useful.

Sasuke pinched his nose as he exhaled the memory. Facing the village had been a lot harder than he had thought it would be. There was the constant reminder of his family's death, their mistreatment, his brother's sacrifice-the list went on. On his journey, he was free from all of this and wasn't bothered by any sort of reminder about his past. Searching for Kaguya had given Sasuke a purpose that kept him going; being away also helped him clear the anger from his heart.

But as he felt it trickle back in, Sasuke managed to focus on a good memory that came with the familiar symbol. When he had been little, his older brother had carried him home after he twisted his ankle. They had passed this very spot that day and Itachi had first explained to him why the building displayed the red and white fan. Itachi had told him that only superior shinobi could enforce the law on other ninja. He remembered how he had exclaimed to his older brother that he aspired to be a part of the leaf's police force one day, too.

He remembered Naruto's letter: "So, like, I talked to Sakura. You're like the police force!" His childhood dream. He once again thought about Itachi and how his sacrifice had practically saved the leaf village. Itachi had killed the entire Uchiha clan, the army that threatened to destroy it. His brother had been the superior shinobi that enforced the law on his entire brethren.

Sasuke released another sigh as the sun set to the left of him, an orange glow lingering on the horizon. He sat on top of the nearest building, adjacent to the Konoha Military Police Force. Sasuke figured that concealing himself in its shadows would keep any unwanted attention away. It had been two and a half years since he'd been home. There was bound to be a stir.

"Sasuke? What are you doing up here?"

Stunned, the Uchiha swerved to his right to see his pink-haired friend walking towards him across the rooftop. How had she even been able to find him?

Taking a seat a couple feet away from him, she gave him a small grin. "You're not the only one good at concealing your chakra."

Although he would never admit it, he was slightly impressed that he hadn't been able to sense her chakra. He hadn't forgotten her chakra control abilities, but to hide her presence completely from him was something to marvel at. How long had she been standing there? He noticed that she was still wearing the same lab coat he had seen her in this morning. He assumed that this meant she had been working all day.

He gave her a nod in greeting, then turned to look back at the building across the road. "How'd you find me?"

"Sai found you," she said, pointing to a small chirping sound across the street.

Narrowing his eyes, he activated the Sharingan, seeing for the first time, a small orb of chakra perched on one of the buildings in front of him. Before he could even think of sending a shuriken through it, the little bird of ink flew up in the air and disappeared.

Slightly annoyed by the thought of that ninja who was technically considered a part of his former team, and for the fact that this wasn't the first time that Sai had spied on him, Sasuke said nothing in reply.

They sat in mutual silence for a while before Sasuke glanced over at Sakura. She sat staring out across the rooftops and he couldn't help but notice how bright her hair was in the sunlight. Despite his annoyance, he appreciated her quiet effort of company. As Sakura matured, Sasuke found that she was rather good at reading his emotions. He followed her gaze and realized she was evaluating the same symbol he had been just a few moments ago.

"You're the one who told Naruto about the Uchiha connection with the police force, weren't you?" His words seemed to startle her, like she hadn't expected him to speak. She turned to him, surprised.

"Yes," she replied. "Naruto and I were talking about you the other day. Naruto said that even though you were away, he felt like he was still on a mission with you to protect the village."

Sakura faced the building again, continuing, "I told him it was like you were a part of the Konoha military police force; you know, like your clan." She emphasized the last part by pointing at the Uchiha crest on the building in front of them.

He didn't know why, but Sasuke took comfort knowing that his two teammates continued to find the good in him. He had gone on his journey not only to find Kaguya, but to atone for his sins. Sasuke didn't deserve the happiness his friends offered him here; quite frankly, it was hard to even be around them sometimes, remembering how much pain he had caused the both of them.

"When I was little, it was my dream to be like my father, the head of Konoha's military police." He didn't know what had caused him to say this out loud but he felt like Sakura would be the person to tell, if anyone were to know about it. By the unsurprised look on her face, it seemed that she had guessed as much.

She smiled at him, leaning forward to wrap her arms around her bent legs. "Was it? I didn't know that."

"Yes," he said, finding the bright star that had just revealed itself in the sky. He pushed the thought of Kaguya away at the celestial body's sudden appearance. Instead, he began to wonder how much about his past his friends knew. He was aware that they knew about Itachi and his lifelong secret. But just how much about his clan, did Naruto and Sakura really know? Sakura surprised Sasuke with what she already knew about him.

Her quiet voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"It's like you've achieved that dream, without realizing it. I think your family would be very proud of you." He made brief eye contact with her at the statement, and he quickly looked away. Sasuke suddenly felt very grateful for her words. Would they be proud of him, he thought. He wouldn't think so after all that he had done. He once thought that the only way to make them proud was to avenge them. Sasuke was able to see past that now. Regardless, her words had brought him a small peace.

After a few minutes of silence beneath a starry sky, he heard Sakura yawn. He glanced over at her and saw for the first time how tired she looked. Her eyes displayed dark circles under her lids and her shoulders slumped slightly as she leaned against her knees. Sakura had met him this morning at the gates and he remembered how early it had been. Not to mention, she had worked all day.

He rose to his feet and Sakura looked up at him in surprise. He could tell that there were so many things she had been wanting to say; unfinished thoughts waiting to be verbalized. Selfishly, the Uchiha wasn't sure if he was ready to hear them. It would only make it harder for him to leave, again.

"Come on," he said, looking away from her. "I'll walk you home."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note** : Sorry for the ridiculously long wait! I have exchanged my full-time school schedule for a full-time summer job, so I have not been able to update as frequently as I had hoped. You'll be glad to know that I have been spending more time developing this story's plot, connecting it to the novels and manga, and doing lots of research in order to make this a better story over all!

Happy SasuSaku Month everyone!

 **P.S**. I mentioned last time that I enjoy the challenge of writing as closely to character as I am able. For those of you want a quick developing romance with unrealistic scenarios, I'm sorry to disappoint you. It will happen, but realistically and through proper plot progression! As always, let me know what you think!

*This fic is tightly adapted to Sasuke Shinden and Sakura Hiden. Please read the novels or refer to the summaries. I'm tired of waiting for their story, so have decided to write it myself. (_signifies time lapse, and . . . . signifies transitions between p.o.v.)

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Summary** : After 2 years, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. One specific pink-haired individual has perhaps waited for him with far more dedication than anyone else. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village.

 **Chapter 4** : "Walks with Ninja"

Sasuke remained silent as they walked together towards her home. Sasuke wasn't sure where Sakura was living these days; he knew she probably didn't live with her parents anymore, at least. He let her lead the way.

Sakura also didn't talk and it annoyed the Uchiha to no end. He could tell she was on the verge of saying something, but just as she was about to, she pursed her lips together. She had spoken to him this morning, but now she seemed hesitant. There was a part of the Uchiha that was glad she was quiet, leaving a formality between them. However, there was a part of him that wished she would speak to end the tension that hung over their heads.

She had never been as loud or boisterous as Naruto, but this unsuspecting quiet was beginning to bother him.

He shook his head at the thought. It had been awhile since he had last seen her; there was bound to be a stiff silence.

As Sakura stumbled along, he noticed again how tired she looked.

"You work long shifts at the hospital," the Uchiha said awkwardly, turning away from her redirected gaze.

Offering him a small smile, she replied, "Yes, they often run together."

When she didn't elaborate, Sasuke asked, "What do you mean?"

"There are a lot of demands, lately," she explained. "A team of medical ninja was sent to Kumogakure so I've been a little short staffed at the hospital."

He recalled his more recent conversation with one of the Raikage's right hand men. Sasuke had travelled to Kumogakure when he discovered their missing shinobi on an island in the Land of Water. C had told him that a Konoha medical team was sent to Kumogakure to help assist them in removing Chino's foreign chakra from their shinobi.

He remembered the acute sting in his hand when he reached into the pool of red, the chakra swirling within it cutting at his skin, trying to enter his body. The red pools in Hell Valley were where Chino had kept the ninja as she turned them into human bombs. He wondered if extracting the foreign chakra caused pain for the medic because of the chakra's nature.

"You might be wondering where Naruto is," she offered and Sasuke blinked in surprise. "Tsunade, Hinata, and He are accompanying the medic team to Kumogakure. The Byakugan can see the chakra and after helping me discovering how to remove it, Hinata was an asset to the team. After showing Tsunade how I was able to extract the chakra, she was able to improve upon the method and went in my place."

Sasuke raised his eyes in surprise. She had been the one to discover how to extract the chakra? When C had told him that Konoha had developed a way to do so, he didn't imagine Sakura being the one responsible.

"Naruto wanted to see B, I imagine," she added quickly, interrupting his thoughts.

Ah, Sasuke thought. That made sense. It was odd, knowing his closest friend was now in Kumogakure, just days after having been there himself. He pictured the large Octopus-Bull eight tailed beast and his jinchūriki. He began to recall the battle he had with the self-proclaimed rapper, Killer B. He smiled at the thought of the world's two most obnoxious shinobi as being friends.

Glancing over at Sakura, he thought more carefully about what she said. "You stayed," he said, matter of factly.

"Yes," she replied, "I chose to stay behind, this time." She looked away shyly and Sasuke wasn't sure why. He looked away from her and remained silent.

After a few quiet seconds, Sakura stated, "Kirigakure and Kumogakure have their own set of victims from the exploding humans incident, but so does Konoha. I stayed behind so that I could research and develop a burn solvent that helps speed up the healing process in patients without the necessity of extreme chakra depletion on the medic's part."

She exhaled tiredly and glanced down at her arm. Sasuke snapped his attention to the direction of her gaze and noticed large circular scars running across the bottom of her forearm. His eyes widened as the realization hit him. It was shocking to make the connection between Sakura and the extent she was willing to go to. He recalled other moments of her fearlessness. Most prominently, Sasuke remembered the faces of three Oto chunin applicants terrorizing the girl who fought so desperately to save Naruto and himself. More recently, he could recall her unexpected efforts in the war. She was no longer the teammate who relied on her partners to defend her in battle. Instead, she was becoming a shinobi the ninja world relied on. The Uchiha in him had always admired power and this capable Sakura was beginning to grow in his acknowledgements and respects.

Looking back at him, Sakura offered another tired smile at his silence.

He shook his head and replied lamely, "So not much sleep then?"

"No. Not much."

They stopped at a small little apartment located in a tight alley between the left corner of the hospital and the connecting path that would eventually take you into the Uchiha compound. She reached in her pocket for the key and fumbled to unlock the door. Sasuke wanted to ask her why she had chosen to move so far across the village, but his conversational ability seemed to be exhausted.

"Thank you, again, for walking me home, Sasuke." She turned towards her door to enter but stopped short and turned to face him once more. "Can I see you again, tomorrow? I know Naruto isn't here, but maybe you, Kakashi, and I could go out for ramen like old times and catch up."

He frowned automatically before he could catch himself. He knew he wasn't afraid to be involved anymore, but a rendezvous with his old team wouldn't help the situation at all. They both knew he wasn't home for good. Perhaps this was why she hadn't asked him how long he had been planning on staying. He didn't want her to get used to his company again only for him to leave so quickly. Through his travelling, Sasuke had decided that being home meant bringing danger to the village; in other words, he aimed to eliminate the risk by searching for the biggest threat to the current peace.

If Sakura knew this, she would be devastated.

"I have to continue my training, tomorrow," he said bluntly. It was better to put a limit on their interactions with one another. It would be the best thing he could do for her.

She looked away at his answer, then gave him a small smile. "Maybe another time, then."

He nodded silently and turned in the direction of the Uchiha compound. For some reason, as he walked away, the Uchiha raised an arm in farewell. He supposed Sakura wasn't the only one who had changed. He needed Naruto to hurry up and come back so he could return to his mission and let his friends move on with their lives.

Sakura didn't see Sasuke the following day, or the next, or even the next. In fact, she didn't see him for the first week that he was here. She wanted to seek him out, to tell him he was being unfair by keeping his distance from those who cared about him. Had she not waited, waited, and waited for him to come home? And now, he was here and she was just about sick of waiting.

Sakura shuffled the papers on her desk into a neat pile and pushed them to the side. It was mid-afternoon and contemplating about Sasuke hadn't helped her get as much paperwork completed on her break like she had planned. She rubbed her temples and closed her eyes.

After sitting in silence for a few minutes, Sakura began working again. The pink-haired medic had scheduled checkups for all her burn patients today which had kept her very busy. Working on these select patients within a shorter time frame allowed her to compare results between patients more quickly. Her main objective was to evaluate her burn solvent's short-term efficiency. A week wasn't long enough for severe burns to completely heal, but she wanted to make sure the herbal cast was holding up for her patients.

The first patient was a young kunoichi named Hoko who had suffered third-degree burns across her right shoulder and up her neck and face. Unfortunately, the woman's right eye had been completely disintegrated due to its direct connection with the explosion. Sakura had barely managed to save her left eye and had spent a large amount of chakra trying to heal the rest of Hoko's face. Once Hoko had finally stopped screaming, Sakura had wrapped the right side of her face and kept a medical patch over the left eye, returning later to apply the solvent to her burns. Even though the kunoichi's former face was impossible to return to its previous state, the healing solvent paired with Sakura's chakra was working miraculously. Her skin showed little redness and the ointment was helping the skin regeneratre without major scarring. Hoko's left eye was restored while her exposed right eye socket was now almost completely covered with a layer of puffy skin.

"Does it look bad?" Hoko asked with a hoarse and broken voice, reaching up to touch the newly applied bandages. Her good eye was uncovered now and she was able to move her lips which Sakura was relieved to see.

"It looks better than I originally thought it would," Sakura replied, stretching out her palm to rest on the girl's hand.

The girl frowned despite the good news. She understood why a young kunoichi would be upset and Sakura knew she couldn't offer any heartfelt words that would genuinely make her feel better.

After a long minute, Sakura finally said, "What you did for your village was honorable and brave. I am thankful that we can rely on shinobi like you to rush out onto the battlefield." The girl looked away from her and Sakura reached over and grabbed a mass of blue from the side table next to her.

Placing the forehead protector into Hoko's hand, Sakura said, "You may not have a right eye anymore, but in its absence, I see a badge that declares your bravery in battle and dedication to your village. There's no one more worthy of wearing this headband."

For the first time since the incident, Hoko's lips tilted upward at the edges.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," came a voice from the doorway. They both turned to see the Sixth, displaying the white and red of Hokage. He entered carefully and presented himself to the ninja and took his hat off. Hoko tried to stand but Kakashi raised a hand and she sat back down, offering a small bow from her seat.

"Lord Hokage," Sakura interjected on Hoko's behalf, "what a surprise. We were not expecting you."

Sakura's former sensei turned and nodded in her direction, "Yes, well, I wanted acknowledge these fine ninja."

Hoko looked down respectfully when he turned back to her. The Sixth proceeded to thank her for her assistance in the fight against the exploding humans. She was going to be publicly honored along with the others if she gave her assent. Kakashi offered her a masked smile when she nodded slowly to his question.

This is how it went for the rest of her shift. Kakashi followed her to all her appointments, recognizing each ninja individually and lifting their spirits by honoring their efforts in the battle. Sakura smiled as her former teacher went above and beyond to interact with these ninja. To this day, he continued to surprise her with his performance as Hokage and in this moment, Sakura couldn't help but feel an extreme admiration for this man who once had to drag around three ignorant little ninja who thought they knew so much.

Sakura could honestly say she missed the days where the four of them were a team, Naruto and Sasuke at each other's throats, constantly trying to outdo one another; Sakura feigning after Sasuke and yelling at Naruto; Kakashi hiding in a tree somewhere, ignoring their squabbling altogether as he read _Icha Icha Paradise._ How much had the three of them really changed?

"Sakura?" Kakashi asked, a few minutes after the last patient walked out the front doors. She just realized he had asked her a question and she had been too lost in pleasant memories to hear him.

"I'm sorry. Did you say something Kakashi sensei?" she asked, turning to face him.

Shaking his head, Kakashi stated, "I asked if you needed an escort home."

Sakura smiled, shaking her head and waving her right arm. "There's no need. I'm sure the Hokage has more important things to-"

"Oh nonsense," he interjected quickly, motioning towards the door. Honestly, Sakura felt obligated to stay for the night shift. She had taken on the most of the day's work herself, but they were still short on staff.

"Come on now," Kakashi called out to her. "Hokage's orders!"

She scowled at him. She hated when he used the "Hokage" card on her.

After being reassured by her apprentice, Kirai, who took charge in Sakura's absence, the pink-haired kunoichi joined her former sensei.

The streets were lit by the glow coming from the many shops and markets who hadn't quite reached closing time. It was hard to escape the attention of many who recognized the Hokage. One marketer even rushed out onto the street to offer the "Honorable Hokage" a free dango, to which Kakashi tried to politely refuse but the kind merchant wouldn't take no for an answer. Kakashi thanked him and smiled largely.

As the two of them walked farther away from the village's center, the night time bustle began to fade behind them. Once they were out of sight from the kind merchant, Kakashi put the sweetly smelling dango in Sakura's hand. She smiled, taking a bite from one of the brightly colored dumplings on the stick. Her team had always known her weakness for sweets.

After a minute, Kakashi removed his hat from his head, allowing it to rest on his back. He inhaled the fresh air loudly and Sakura noticed his usually fixed posture relax slightly. Seeing him this way made the young kunoichi think of the past again; back to the days where Kakashi wasn't in charge of the village. She couldn't imagine the stress he dealt with.

After giving him a few minutes of uninterrupted silence, Sakura asked, "What's this about Kakashi? Why are you walking me home?"

"Hm?" he asked, dropping all previous formalities. "Can't your former sensei assist you home, on a dark and scary even-"

,

"Let me guess," she interjected, pointing an accusing finger in his direction. "You're trying to get out of more paperwork, aren't you?"

He laughed and waved his hands innocently and Sakura knew she had hit the nail on the head.

"That's not my only reason," he defended himself, then placed a palm on the back of his hand as they continued to walk down the darkening path. "I actually wanted to talk to you."

"To meh? 'Bout what?" Sakura asked, just having taken the last bite of her final dumpling.

His former playfulness turned solemn as he asked, "Are you getting the rest you need?"

Rest? Why was he asking her about that? She couldn't just come out and tell him she hadn't slept much since the medic team left for Kumogakure. Not only was she responsible for maintaining the hospital, but ever since Sasuke's return, she had arrived home feeling exhausted but restless thoughts of him kept her from sleeping. It was all she could do to spare the chakra to erase the dark circles from her eyes every morning.

When Sakura didn't reply, he continued, "I understand that your load is heavy right now at the Hospital, but you need to make sure that you are taking care of yourself, first."

"Who told you I wasn't?" she asked, giving him an innocent smile.

The ninja beside her switched from Kakashi to Hokage as he said, "Actually, I have been keeping an eye on your situation since the departure of the medical team last week. I checked your hours and confirmed them with your staff this morning. I can say for certainty that you are not resting."

Annoyed at his snooping, she glared at him, pointing her now empty dango stick at him. "Look, they need me, and I know my own limits."

He didn't look properly chastised. In fact, he gently took her left arm and pulled down the sleeve of her lab coat to reveal her circular scars. "If you knew your limits, these would be properly healed by now."

She pulled her arm away and tugged her sleeve back down. "Look, I'm doing what I have to. My patients need me and I don't have the extra chakra to spare at the moment."

"And this is why I have arranged for you to have the next couple of days off." After seeing Sakura's gawking silence, the Hokage seemed to change back into his sensei persona as he smiled and walked a couple steps in front of her, knowing he had bested her.

"But!" Sakura implored, "What will they do without me?"

"It's all been arranged," he replied coming to a slow walk as the two of them approached her little apartment nestled into the side of an alley.

She inhaled to come up with an argument, but Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder and offered her a tired smile. "So take some time off and leave the rest to me. You do too much, sometimes" he spoke from behind his mask.

As she watched her sensei begin to leave, she called loudly after him, "What am I supposed to do?!"

"Sleep!" he called back, "And, uh, maybe go visit a friend!"

A friend? She didn't have to ask who Kakashi meant. After the white haired ninja disappeared into the night, Sakura turned her head to look down the opposite path, the narrow one that eventually wound its way towards the Uchiha compound.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note** : Again, sorry for the wait. I have been reading your guys' reviews and am thoroughly touched by what you have had to say! I wish I could respond to them individually to thank you guys for your thoughts, but am unfortunately getting by on very little time. So, thank you so so so much! I appreciate you!

I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's the longest one yet (trust me, I know they're short. The wait will be worth it!) Also, I picture Kakashi to be the kind of mentor/hokage who can't help but meddle in the lives of his students. I don't know why, but I picture him as the type of sensei who continues to keep a close eye on his mentees and watches out for them.

***This fic is tightly adapted to Sasuke Shinden and Sakura Hiden. Please read the novels or refer to the summaries. I'm tired of waiting for their story, so have decided to write it myself.

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Summary** : After 2 years, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. One specific pink-haired individual has perhaps waited for him with far more dedication than anyone else. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village.

 **Chapter 5** : "Sunshine and Rain"

Sasuke frowned at the red and white fan displayed on the stone in front of him. The last time he had visited this place, he had come with Orochimaru and Taka in order to reanimate the first four hokage and learn what the purpose of a village was. His family's district had been in rubbles and Sasuke had barely managed to locate the stone door that concealed a hidden meeting place beneath the shattered structure of his clan's Nakano shrine. When the Akatsuki had showed up to claim Naruto, the village was completely destroyed by Pein. Despite its location on the outskirts of the village, the Uchiha compound hadn't escaped destruction.

Now, it had been cleared from the shattered pieces of wood and stone that had piled on top of each other. In its place rested an expanse of endless green, free from buildings or any familiar structures that Sasuke remembered from his childhood. There was a sudden sadness that overtook him as he remembered his childhood home and the people who used to occupy the space before him. Other than the memorial before him, there was no lingering evidence of the clan who once lived here. And yet, there was a part of Sasuke that was relieved when he saw the place of his family's massacre wiped from the face of the earth.

After he had left Sakura's several nights ago, he had turned towards the Uchiha compound. Just as he arrived at the border, he had suddenly redirected his path towards the forest surrounding the district. He had been weary from his travel and didn't want to face the ruins of his clan that night. Not in the dark, where the memories of his family's death would have surely haunted him. Instead, he decided to camp out among the trees for a few days until he was ready. It had become a common practice of his, sleeping in the forest. Despite Kakashi's efforts to provide him with a room, the Uchiha had insisted against it. What was the point, he had thought. It wasn't like he was staying long, anyway.

Now, as he looked at the memorial, his thoughts flashed back to the Konoha Military Police Force building. It had been in the same location as the previous one. Had that building escaped the demolition or had they simply rebuilt it the exact way it had been before? The Uchiha crest that he had evaluated just a few days ago stuck out strongly in his thoughts. What was the point of rebuilding it with the Uchiha crest just as it had been when the clan served as the police force?

"I had a hunch you might be here."

Sasuke turned slowly to face the ninja who had suddenly appeared behind him, unsurprised. Of course, Kakashi always had a way of showing up when he was least expected-or wanted, for that matter.

"And I suppose you are looking for me, for a reason?" he replied. It came off more disrespectful than Sasuke had meant it. But it was still better than all the snide comments that had come to the surface of his tongue upon being interrupted by his former sensei. Despite his efforts to change, Sasuke supposed that he would always possess that signature sarcasm of his.

The white haired man came to stand beside him and together they appraised the memorial.

After a few minutes of silence, "Actually, I'm not the only one who has been looking for you." Sasuke received this comment with even more silence. They both knew who Kakashi was referring to. Sasuke had been purposefully avoiding Sakura's bright charka signature ever since he had walked her home a few nights back. It hadn't been too difficult, considering her almost 24 hour presence at the hospital. The hospital was the area he had been staying the farthest away from. Not only was he avoiding Sakura, but he had been dodging anyone whom he had past connections with, especially those who maintained contact with the pink haired kunoichi.

Not receiving any response, Kakashi continued, "I'm here because I've recently received word from Yamato. He says I have a significant number of ninja who are seeking to become Konoha citizens, thanks to you."

Sasuke looked at the Hokage then, understanding dawning on his features. He made an effort not to look even slightly sorry. Instead, the Uchiha smirked and said, "Well, what was I supposed to do? Leave them how they were?"

The ninja Yamato was referring to were the ninja Sasuke had recently released from their bounds to their previous "owners" in a place called the Coliseum. Located on an unmapped island in the middle of the ocean, wealthy individuals gathered at this place to fight their ninja against competing ninja. The rules were that if a ninja was to lose in one of these fights, the owner of the victorious ninja received the losing ninja as their own. If a particularly strong ninja were to partake in the fight, different owners would offer up their strongest ninja in battle in order to acquire the ninja for their team. This was how they advanced their power. He had visited this place with Orochimaru in order to meet Oyashiro En, the leader of Bright Lightning Group's original owner. He had been rumored to collect kekkei genkai and Orochimaru had entered Sasuke in the fight-without his knowledge-with the hope that Sasuke's sharingan might draw the man out. Oyashiro took the bait and Sasuke defeated the man's ninja that had been pitted against him. During the meeting with the repulsive man, Sasuke had acquired the information he sought about Bright Lightning Group. Afterwards, he challenged all the owners in the coliseum, offering the Uchiha kekkei genkai to any who were brave enough to put their ninja forward. In the end, he had been victorious against them all, had acquired them as his own, then set them free. Of course, Yamato, being in constant surveillance of Orochimaur's activity, was nearby and Sasuke entrusted him with the freed ninja.

Kakashi lowered his Hokage's hat, turning to look Sasuke squarely in the face. The mask on his face didn't hide the prominent lines of a smile as he said, "I suppose not. It seems you are doing the right things this time around."

A palm landed firmly on his left shoulder, and Sasuke couldn't help but widen his eyes at the sudden contact from his former sensei. It had been years since he had received a compliment from anyone, let alone any form of physical contact. It was even more surprising coming from Kakashi, a man Sasuke had once believed to be far too disappointed in the Uchiha's past to acknowledge their previous bond.

As if reading his mind, the white-haired ninja spoke, "With everything that's happened recently and seeing how much you are making a difference in peoples' lives, I just want to tell you that I am proud of you. It's good to have the old Sasuke back."

As Kakashi removed his hand and began to walk away, Sasuke was stunned at the words still ringing in his ears as they worked their way into his heart. His gaze followed his former sensei as he walked towards the direction he had come.

"Oh," Kakashi added, turning back to face him. "I suppose since you're the reason for all our new citizens, you won't mind helping me welcome them to Konohagakure."

Sasuke's momentary shock faded at hearing this but before he could interject his argument, the Hokage waved and quickly said, "See you at the gates bright and early day after tomorrow." He quickly disappeared.

"Tch," Sasuke grumbled, turning promptly back to face the Uchiha crest memorial. Smooth Kakashi, praising him just before assigning him work to do. Unbelievable. Grabbing his left shoulder, the Uchiha couldn't help let a smile escape as he replayed Kakashi's words in his mind.

Standing alone in the tall grass, the breeze tossing his hair across his eyes, Sasuke glanced up at the sun. It was warm on his face and Sasuke found that he quite liked the feeling of it. Everything seemed a little brighter these days, a little warmer. For so long, Sasuke had lived in darkness, numb to all feeling except for the hate that guided his path as an avenger. As if he had been stuck in perpetual winter, the sun seemed to be revealing itself to him a little more each day, approaching him, causing a spring of feeling to rejuvenate him.

After Kakashi had left her that night, Sakura found herself not being able to sleep again. Her thoughts kept wondering to Sasuke as she thought about him leaving the village again. She wanted nothing more than to seek him out. Unfortunately, his chakra was nearly nonexistent, as he kept it completely concealed. The only reason she knew he was still in the village, was because Kakahi told her to "go visit a friend." If there was one person the Uchiha had to stay in contact with, it would be the Hokage.

The day after that, Sakura had been so tired that she slept throughout the entire day. She would wake up to eat, use the bathroom, and she even attempted to get up and sit on the couch at one point but ended up falling asleep again. She hadn't realized just how tired she had been and was relieved to feel her chakra replenishing slowly.

At the crack of dawn, the following morning, Sakura was wakened by the faint streams of light spilling across her face from her window. Despite the birds singing outside, Sakura could hear the steady "pit-pat" of the rain on her roof. Glancing out the small window on the left side of her bed, Sakura watched the rain hit her windowsill for a few minutes, then quickly decided to open the window to sit out a little pot of flowers that Ino had given her under one of the drops that was spilling off the awning. She frowned at the sight of her wilting flowers.

Glancing around her apartment, Sakura noticed that like her flowers, her apartment had also been neglected. Unfortunately, due to her almost consistent pace at work, Sakura hadn't been able to clean her apartment in some time. There were clothes towering in the corner of her room, dishes piled in the sink, and thin layer of dust on almost every surface. She sighed at the sight of it, knowing what her mother would say if she were to see her daughter living in this state. Well, it was decided then.

Jumping out of bed, Sakura tied her hair up, changed into some cleaning clothes, and set to work. The rain was a lulling sound and even though she spent hours scrubbing and washing, the noise eased her mind and she began to feel a little of the stress lift off of her shoulders. At one point, Sakura wanted to open all the windows so the rain could come make its noise inside, but she knew that would be a silly thing to do.

Instead, she decided to cook. It wouldn't be long before her food would go bad. She hadn't eaten much the past few days and a lot of her groceries had already expired. Deciding to cook all of what she had left, Sakura ended up making enough food to feed an entire family. As she chopped the tomatoes, she couldn't help but think of the ninja whose favorite food was the red fruit. She remembered Naruto arguing with the Uchiha about whether or not it was a vegetable or fruit. Of course, they had asked her and she told them it was a fruit. She smiled at the fond memory.

Glancing out the kitchen window, Sakura noted that the rain was beginning to get a little heavier. Where was that certain Uchiha right now? What would he be doing? She looked at all the food around her. Well, she could take him something to eat—it was the perfect excuse. If she went looking for him now, would she even find him?

Slipping into the rain coat hanging next to her door, Sakura cradled the bento close to her body to avoid getting it wet. Stepping out into the rain, she glanced in the direction of the Uchiha compound. Well, it was a good place to start.

Sakura was a lot closer to the compound now, being on this side of the village. Why she had moved closer, she had no idea. Maybe it was because she wanted to completely separate from her parents, or perhaps she wanted to live as far away from her other friends as she possibly could. It was difficult for Sakura, seeing everyone move on and find happiness while she waited and waited for the same man who was here and now avoiding her. What did she do in her past life to deserve falling in love with a man who had no desire for her? Would she ever find her own happiness?

When Sasuke was in prison, Sakura had often tried to visit him. She wasn't allowed to see him except for the occasional "check-up" appointment that she was allowed to perform in order to make sure he was healthy and not rotting away behind bars. He would perk up slightly when he sensed her chakra signature enter the building and it broke her heart to see the man she loved bound the way that he was with a seal over his eyes. How they had ever managed to reduce him to such a state, was simply because he let them. She would touch his shoulder kindly and ask him all the procedural questions a doctor would ask their patient. She wasn't allowed more than 40 minutes at a time with him, but in those 40 minutes she would tell him what was going on outside with everyone. Sometimes, but more rarely, would he participate in conversation with her. Once, hearing the guards' footsteps returning, Sasuke leaned towards her, asking "When will you come back?" She hadn't been able to give him a definite answer.

Looking down at the package in her hand, she wished she would have been able to do more for him back then. The only thing she had ever been able to do was work her hardest and wait for him. Would there ever be a day where she could walk by his side, assisting him on his journey?

After a few wet minutes in the rain, Sakura looked up at the small wooden entrance that read "Uchiha." Carved into the supporting posts were two red and white fans, the Uchiha family crest. Well, Sakura thought, here we go. Stepping through the entrance, Sakura found herself staring out at a field of tall grass. She looked left and right, not seeing anyone. He heart sank a little but then she noticed that in the center, rising from the grass, stood a large pillar of stone emblazoned with the Uchiha crest. As Sakura got closer, she could see that the names of every Uchiha had been etched onto its surface. It surprised Sakura to see. She had been here after the destruction had been cleared but never saw the memorial. In fact, she had the feeling that nobody had. Did Kakashi do this? It was something she could see her former sensei doing. She supposed he did it in secret to protect it from would be violators, those who held a grudge against the Uchiha clan.

Squinting in the rain, she reached out to touch its surface. It was cold and wet as the rain bounced off of it. A feeling of sadness overcame Sakura as she trailed her fingers down the list of names, coming to rest over "Uchiha Itachi" and then "Sasuke Uchiha" whose name was at the very bottom of the list.

"Sakura."

She jumped away from it, jerking around on reflex. The bento she had been carrying fell from her hands, the contents spilling out onto the grass. She pulled her hood back from her face to see the figure standing before her.

A rain-drenched Sasuke stood staring at her, a touch of confusion in his features. His coat was completely soaked and water poured from his bangs, running down the sides of his cheeks. For a second, the rain almost made it look like Sasuke was crying, and Sakura couldn't help but realize where she was and imagine what a young, distraught little Uchiha experienced in this place.

"Sasuke?" she called out to him, raising her voice a little over the developing rain. She bent down, scooping up the spilt contents back into its box. "You frightened me."

"What are you doing here?" he asked, taking a step towards her.

"I came to bring you some food" she gestured to the bento, trying to smile at him through the sheets of rain. "I didn't think I would actually find you, though. I'm sorry it's ruined."

"Come on," he said tiredly, waving her to follow him. She quickly did so and followed him towards the woods, wondering what she had done wrong. Sasuke took them to the thickest part of the forest where the trees blanketed the sky, shielding them from most of the rain. He stopped at a large tree, taking his coat off and hanging it on a branch. She glanced around her feet, noting the remains of a campfire and a disassembled structure which she assumed was some kind of tent. Realization suddenly dawned on her.

"Sasuke, you're not sleeping out here, are you?"

He glanced over at her, then sat down, leaning his back against the tree. After a long second, he replied, "It suits me."

She frowned at the sight of him, dirty and wet. When was the last time he had gotten to rest in a proper house? When was the last time he had access to running water and fresh food? She shook her head in disbelief.

"Did Kakashi not-"

"Yes," he interrupted, redirecting his gaze away from her, "he did. I refused."

She squatted down, making herself level with him and saying, "But you're drenched."

His eyes flashed over at her, slight annoyance sharpening his voice as he replied, "I wouldn't be, had someone not been standing like an idiot in the rain. Aren't medic ninja supposed to know something about colds?"

She frowned at him, narrowing her eyes at his attitude. Had coming here really made him this annoyed with her? If he hadn't concealed his chakra, if he hadn't made every attempt to avoid her since walking her home that night, then she wouldn't have had to stand out in the rain like a total idiot. She refused to tell him these things. She also resisted the urge to throw the remains of the bento box at his face. Her scowl softened slightly when she noticed the dark circles under his eyes and the rigid way he held his body, all signs of fatigue.

Suddenly, she grabbed his coat from the branch and threw _it_ at him instead. He caught it, his only visible eyebrow raising in surprise.

"Come with me. You need a shower."


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note** : Not as long of a wait, this round guys! But college will be starting back up for me on Monday and I will have considerably less time than I do now, so I hope this chapter will be enough to keep you guys happy for a while.

As always, let me know what you think! Loving your thoughts and opinons!

Also, for some reason, my (***) hasn't been showing up in my documents once they have been added to fanfic. (VERY CONFUSING). So instead, I'm using (. . . . . . . . ) to indicate both a time gap and to show shifts in p.o.v.

This fic is tightly adapted to Sasuke Shinden and Sakura Hiden. Please read the novels or refer to the summaries. I'm tired of waiting for their story, so have decided to write it myself.

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Summary** : After 2 years, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. One specific pink-haired individual has perhaps waited for him with far more dedication than anyone else. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village.

 **Chapter 6** : "Over Tea"

Sasuke's eyebrows drew together at the kunoichi standing a few feet in front of him. Her silly red rain jacket nearly reached her knees and Sasuke couldn't help but think she looked as if she were drowning in it despite the water that was running off it. Just having thrown his jacket at him, she was trying her best to look serious, one hand on her hip and the other still clutching the remains of the bento box. If only she knew how ridiculous she looked.

It took everything in the Uchiha to check his temper. The previous night had been rough on him. Just as he feared, after all this time, the nightmares returned and Sasuke struggled to find peace in the darkness. With the dawn, had come the rain and the Uchiha had retired to the training zone nearest his campout, fighting the invisible targets in his mind to ease the tension in his body that accompanied the memories. Just as he was about to send his chidori through a tree, he had sensed her. Why he had immediately turned and headed in her direction, the Uchiha didn't know and was now regretting approaching her.

Now, as he sat with his jacket in his hands, he swallowed his retorts. After a few seconds, he rose to his feet and crossed his arms, replying to her order, "I'm not going anywhere."

"Then neither am I," Sakura said, walking over to him, situating herself in the exact spot where he had just been sitting.

Sasuke raised his hand to massage his temples and under his breath, he said, "I see you're just as annoying as you've always been."

"You haven't changed much either," she replied, glancing up to make eye contact with him. After a few seconds of shared glaring, Sakura's stern expression faded and she offered him a faint smile, to which Sasuke couldn't help but breathe out his frustration at the sight. Infuriating woman.

The thunder that shook the ground had the both of them wearing shocked expressions as a tree a few meters away from them lit up as it came into contact with the lightning that streaked down from the sky.

Without another second's hesitation, Sasuke reached his hand out and grabbed Sakura's arm, pulling her quickly away from the tree, just in case. He led her a safe distance away before releasing her arm and slipping back on his soaked cloak.

"Ok," he said, "I'll go."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This was not a good idea, the Uchiha thought as he stared at Sakura's apartment door. She was fumbling with the lock in the rain and Sasuke frowned as the rain went from heavy to excessive in the span of two seconds.

He was making a huge mistake. It would be one thing for Sasuke to accepts someone's hospitality but it was something entirely different to accept Sakura's—the one person he was doing his best to avoid at all costs. What was he going to do now? This was the last thing that Sakura needed, for him to show up back in her life. He was doing her harm just by interacting with her.

A large click resounded and Sakura pushed firmly on the door.

"Come in," she said pleasantly, and Sasuke took one last second of indecision before sighing and stepping over the threshold.

Sakura flicked the lights on and hung her rain jacket on the rack next to her door. He jumped when her hands lightly touched his shoulders and he made to jerk away from her before realizing that she was just trying to lighten him from the load of his drenched cloak. He rolled his shoulders back, allowing it to roll off into her hands.

"Well, it's not much, but make yourself at home," she said after hanging his jacket next to hers. She gestured to the apartment around her and Sasuke couldn't help but take it all in, committing the layout to memory. He didn't know exactly what to expect, other than that it would be small, but the room before him was simple, clean, and surprisingly comforting. There was a large sofa, a yellow sitting chair in the corner, and a small bookshelf on the adjacent wall. He couldn't help but realize how warm it felt compared to the cool weather outside and the smell of cooked rice instantly made his stomach growl. He coughed in an attempt to disguise the sound.

Sakura smiled at him, leading him down the hallway to the bathroom.

"The shower is in here," she said, opening the door. "Once you are dry, then I'll fix you something to eat."

Sakura then retreated to the far room at the end of the corridor and Sasuke couldn't help but stand awkwardly in the hall as he heard her shuffling noisily in the bedroom. She returned a few minutes later, offering him a pair of large baggy pants and a blank white t-shirt, which Sasuke also noted to be his size.

"Whose-" he began, then firmly clamped his mouth before he could finish the sentence, instantly regretting what he was about to ask. He blushed furiously and turned to look away from her.

"Oh," she said, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly, obviously catching on to his train of thought. "Those were my father's clothes before I claimed them. They're big but that's all I have and they should work until I can clean yours. Is that okay?"

"Yes," he said quickly, hiding his face from her. He entered the bathroom and closed the door, letting out a heavy exasperated sigh. He glanced down at the clothes in his hands and couldn't help but feel a little relieved despite his embarrassment. He leaned his head back against the door. What the hell was he doing?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sakura pulled fresh rice from the cooker for the second time today, arranging it once again into nori wrapped balls of rice, adding fresh tomatoes on top. She fumbled gracelessly with the plate, almost spilling it onto the floor when she heard the bathroom door open. Steadying herself, she breathed deeply to calm down as she walked over to the dining table, setting down the plate and pretending like nothing had just happened.

Sasuke walked into the room, appropriately post-shower disheveled, wet hair dangling in his eyes. Sakura couldn't help but appraise how her father's clothes hung loosely on his body. She snapped her gaze away when she noticed him raising an eyebrow at her directed stare.

"Here," she gestured quickly to the plate at the table. "I hope you don't mind vegetable Gunkan-maki. I added tomatoes for you."

"It looks more appetizing when it's not on the ground," he said bluntly, coming to stand beside the table. It took Sakura a second to realize he was teasing.

"Yes. Well, you'll be glad to know I'm not usually so clumsy," she said, then froze when a smirk became present on his face.

"Are you sure about that?" he remarked, sitting down across from the food. Sakura's face turned scarlet at the realization that he must have seen her flailing just a few minutes ago.

She took a seat opposite him, helping herself to her own portion of the Gunkan-maki. This wasn't her first time making it, but she found herself questioning whether or not that it was good and if Sasuke would actually like it. He ate quickly and Sakura realized that it might have been awhile since he had last eaten anything homecooked.

With this thought, she began to ask him about all the food he ate on his journey, what he did for shelter, and if he was treated kindly. He had short positive answers to the first two questions, both to what Sakura had expected. The medical side of her questioned whether he was getting the nutrition he needed along with the rest his body demanded after using the Rinnegan. He didn't answer the third question and Sakura pretended not to notice.

He finished his first serving so Sakura jumped up to get him more. Halfway through his second serving, she noticed him purposefully slowing down.

"There's more where that came from," she said with a small giggle. "I want you to eat as much as you can before you—."

He looked up at her and Sakura held her breath. She could have tried to backtrack or make an excuse for what she was about to say, but they both knew what she meant.

"When will you be leaving?" she asked boldly after a few minutes, a sad smile marking her features as she averted her eyes from him. She might as well ask, since he wasn't denying it.

Looking back down at his food, he answered, "Soon."

And there it was. The answer she knew she didn't want to hear. It hit her like a fist to the gut and heavy silence hung over the both of them. _Soon._

As if wanting to leave absolutely no doubt, Sasuke added, "Once Naruto comes back to the village, I will return to my mission."

"But—" she began, then cut herself short, redirecting her gaze away from him. There was no point to try to convince him otherwise. She had already tried this once before and Sakura was aware of what Sasuke had to do for their village. She had once helped Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, and Obito defeat Kaguya. But now, Sasuke continued to search for traces of Kaguya and investigate her race of people that the shinobi world still believed to be out there.

It was hard for her not to think selfishly in this matter. What would she do if Sasuke might never be home for good? She couldn't bear the thought of eternal loneliness without him. And what would she do if he decided he wanted nothing to do with her, when he _was_ home?

Standing, she grabbed the now empty plates from the table and returned to the kitchen as Sasuke observed her silently.

He followed her lead and began to help her, taking the plates from her hands and proceeding to wash them in the sink. Sakura panicked at his nearness and in order to busy herself, began to boil water for hot, herbal tea. She couldn't look at him and didn't want to face him, so kept her body strategically placed so that he was at her back.

"Sasuke, I understand why you must leave. I understand why you believe that you have to be the one to carry this weight. But please, when you're home, don't treat me like a stranger." Despite how hard she tried to resist them, small tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she said this. She couldn't help but think about the past week of knowing he was here but not being able to see him. It was unfair and absolute torture. She wiped furiously at her eyes before Sasuke could see them. All she could ever do was cry.

Sakura heard Sasuke turn the faucet off and lean against the counter behind her.

"Then also understand that it is not my intention to hurt you."

She could acutely feel his presence from behind her and after a few minutes of gathering her courage, she turned to face him.

"If you think that deliberately going out of your way to avoid me, isn't hurting-"

He took a step towards her and looked down at her, suddenly interrupting her, "Is this what you want? Is this how you want to live?"

"Sasuke," she began, placing a palm on her forehead. "However long it takes, I will wai-."

Sasuke turned away from her with an impatient sigh. He walked out of the kitchen and looked out the dining room window, watching the lightning streak across the sky. He placed his hands on the window sill and leaned forward.

"What is it with you people," he breathed out angrily. "You and Naruto. Why can't you just move on with your lives and forget me?"

Sakura gawked at him, frustrated with his hurtful words. "Because we can't, you idiot! You don't think that would be easier for me? For all of us? But guess what, Sasuke, it's not going to happen."

A solid ten minutes of tense thunder-filled speechlessness surrounded them before either of them made another sound. The sudden screeching of the kettle shocked Sakura into movement and she removed the pot from the heat.

"I'm sorry," Sakura said, pouring the hot water into two cups . "I didn't bring you here to yell at you." She suddenly felt very guilty. This was not how she pictured an evening with him.

"Don't apologize," he said, still facing the window. "I'll never be able to give you what you want."

After she finished infusing the tea leaves, she placed the cups on the table and continued to stare at his back. He turned to face her and the two of them both looked down at their feet.

"How do you know what I want, Sasuke Uchiha?" She saw him silently glance up at her in the corner of her vision. He pulled his hands from his pockets, sat down at the table again, and reached out for one of the cups on its surface.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sasuke stared hard into the tea, not wanting to answer her question. Of course, he knew what she wanted. Sakura, his childhood friend who grew up alongside him as a genin, wanted him to be with her. Selfishly, Sasuke had wanted nothing more than to find happiness, too, at one point in his life. That's why he had created the bonds that he had. He had wanted to be with his friends and eventually take root in Konohagakure. However, this was a dream Sasuke had abandoned a long time ago. His purpose had changed. He had become a ninja that the shinobi world now relied on. For the sake of those around him—for those whose happiness he had to protect but could not share in—Sasuke had given up that dream. There was something bigger now that was more important than what either of them wanted.

Instead of replying, he took a full drink of the steaming tea in his hand, warm relief traveling throughout his rigid body. He suddenly realized that this was a medicinal tea as his tense muscles instantly became relaxed. He couldn't help but be surprised at the tea's effects.

"Well," Sakura stated, sitting at the table with him again. "For starters, I want you to stop dodging me when in you're in the village. Can you at least do that?" She tried to smile, diminishing some of the tension between them.

Stubborn, as always. She didn't know what she was asking. By requesting this, she was only prolonging her own heartache.

"I'll agree," he stated. "But only if you comply to something that I want."

She stopped mid-sip, lowering her cup and arching an eyebrow. The expression on her face wasn't one of curiosity or wonder. Her eyes only professed worry.

"What's that?" she asked finally.

More intently than he had ever before, he firmly held her green eyes with his, wanting the full weight of his words to hit home with her. "I want you to stop waiting for me, Sakura."


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note** : Too long to write. So copy and paste "Approaching Sun (7) A.N. & Boruto Episode 21" into (youtube) and watch what I have to say! *Nerd alert*

 **P.S**. This is a very short chapter, but consider this "earlier than expected" (by several, several weeks) which is better than waiting!

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Summary** : After 2 years, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. One specific pink-haired individual has perhaps waited for him with far more dedication than anyone else. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village.

 **Chapter 7** : "The Past"

Sakura looked at him blankly, then returned her attention to her tea. She took a long drink, swallowing the liquid heavily and sighed.

Sasuke waited. He was hoping that she would agree to his terms. He couldn't give her the happiness she wanted—or deserved for that matter. How much easier her life would be if she tried to move on. If she found happiness with someone else, Sasuke wouldn't have to feel guilty anymore.

After a minute, Sakura met his eyes with just as much boldness as he had looked at her a second ago. "I'm sorry Sasuke. I would rather you ignore me than admit that I would give up on you. For as long as you care for me, I will wait."

Irritation like a developing fire burned throughout his body and in order to calm himself, Sasuke took a long drink of the medicinal tea before saying, "What makes you think I care for you? I tried to kill you. And have done much more, since then."

That statement didn't have the desired effect like he had hoped. She only continued to stare at him squarely and asked, "Did I not try to kill you first?"

"You didn't go through with it," he dismissed her. "I was prepared to kill you. I wouldn't have pulled back, Sakura. If it weren't for Kakashi and Naruto—" he looked away, too ashamed to look at her.

That day burned a hole in his memory and he hated to recall it. It was one of the days that Sasuke regretted most and appeared often in his nightmares. Not only did he fully intend to kill Karin, that day, but Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi, too. He had wanted them all dead. It didn't matter to him that he had once had bonds with them. At that time, all Sasuke could see was his goal of destroying the leaf village and everyone in it. Sakura had arrived right before he was about to send a chidori through the red-haired kunoichi from team Taka, whom he had sacrificed in order to kill Danzo. Although it was a ploy to kill him, Sakura had arrived on the scene, begging to join him in his quest for revenge. He had demanded for her to kill Karin in order to gain his trust, but he ended up aiming a chidori at Sakura's back instead. Fortunately, Kakashi had followed her and stopped him before he could deliver the blow. After battling with his former sensei, his vision suddenly had failed and Sakura had used the opportunity to strike him. She had paused, unable to commit herself to go through with killing him. At the time, he had considered her weak, and in his hatred, had grabbed her by the neck, stealing her kunai and aiming it at her. If Naruto hadn't jumped in, she would be dead. He undoubtedly would have killed her. If neither of them had interfered, Sasuke wouldn't be sitting here, talking to her, eating the food and drinking the tea that Saskura had made him.

He placed his forehead in his palm at the thought. What would he be doing now, if she had been killed by his hand?

A small weight rested on his shoulder, and with her comforting hand, came her reply. "You've already apologized for your past. There's no need to bring it up, now. You're not that person anymore. You're the Sasuke I remember."

Lifting his head, he widened his eyes and pulled away from her touch, snapping, "And you're naïve. What reason have I given you to make you believe that? What makes you _so_ sure, to dismiss everything I've done despite my pathetic apology to you?"

She pulled her arm back towards her own body, saying, "For starters, you saved Chino and her followers from the path of revenge. But that's not all. You're doing so much for the village just by investigating Kaguya."

He remained silent, staring down at his fisted hand around the cup, forcing it to relax. How could she possibly use those actions to justify everything? Why couldn't she just hate him? That's what he deserved. Despite taking a journey to atone for his sins, Sasuke still felt undeserving of the love that his friends had for him. Even though he had changed drastically, becoming more like his former self, Sasuke kept seeing his sins as unforgivable.

Interrupting his thoughts, Sakura suddenly added, "You also came for me."

"What?" he asked, completely unaware what she was talking about.

"Try to deny it all you want, but I saw you that day. The day that Kido kidnapped me. You came to save me."

Sasuke found himself suddenly remembering another day. He had been receiving rumors that he had been recently sighted dealing with missing-nin in order to devise a plot against the Konohagakure, but didn't think twice about it. He hadn't done such a thing and he would leave it to the Leaf to handle things on their own. He was just a few steps away from getting closer to the time-space dimension where Kaguya had once resided, that he'd be damned if something came up now to distract him. Just before he was about to use the Rinnegan, he saw an unfamiliar hawk flying towards him in the distance. As he had reached up with his arm, the bird landed firmly and Sasuke retrieved and read the note it was carrying. Someone named Kido claimed to be holding Sakura as a hostage, threatening to kill her if he didn't make an appearance in the village. Sasuke had clutched the note and his hands had gone white. He had cursed, spun on his heel, and had never taken flight as swiftly as he did in that moment.

Arriving on the scene that day, Sasuke encountered several Anbu who were fleeing from the village, headed in his direction. Sasuke had noticed tailed beast chakra surrounding them and instantly used his Fire Release to encircle them in a ring of fire. Coming through the flames, Sharingan activated, the Uchiha had placed them all under a genjutsu. By using the Sharingan, Sasuke was able to acquire the information he wanted. They had all been Kido's subordinates and he watched their memories play out, learning of Kido's plan to use Sasuke for his Sharingan drug, the tailed-beast chakra capsules, and Sakura's capture. He had grabbed one of the men by the collar, roughly pulling him in closer as he watched the man's memories of Sakura play in his mind. Sasuke saw what they had said to her, how they had caught her, and watched as a copy of himself walked up to her and mocked her on Kido's orders. It was hard to finish watching the memories play out after that, but he allowed it to continue, soon finding relief in them as he watched Sakura escape and take Kido on, herself. He re-lived this particular man's panic as Kido's subordinates got the alarm that Kido's chakra had suddenly diminished which indicated his defeat, cueing their flight from the village.

After this, Sasuke had released the man, catching a feel of his former teammates' chakra coming towards him, including Sakura's. She had been alive and Sasuke couldn't help but feel foolish for not having enough faith in her abilities. He had shown up to save her, only to find that he had not been needed after all. He had been relieved but annoyed at the same time, having left Kaguya's trail. Knowing that Sakura was well and safe, he didn't waste a second, bounding off into the woods once again in search for what he had left behind.

Leaning his head back, Sasuke drank the last of the tea, resigning himself to the last of its calming effects. After a minute, he said, "You saved yourself. I did nothing for you."

She was smiling again, and Sasuke wondered if it was because she knew he couldn't back his way out of this one. Finally, she said, "Even though you were a little late, you still came. This is how I know you care."

His eyes widened slightly and he turned to look at her. Was that why he had gone after her? Yes, he had been worried for her and Sasuke couldn't help but admit to himself that the bonds he had once had with his friends, he was trying to restore on some level. Yes, Sasuke supposed he could say with honesty that he cared for them now, like he had used to before being consumed in darkness. He couldn't exactly say he would be in this very room, if he didn't. But if he confirmed that now, admitting this to Sakura, he knew she would never stop waiting for him. He couldn't have that. So instead, he said absolutely nothing.

"There's one other thing, that has given me hope," she said with a smile, leaning towards him. Before he could even ask, he felt a small tap on his forehead and a small breath escaped him as her fingers pulled away from his forehead. She stood then, grabbing the empty cups from the table, laughing at Sasuke's expression of shock. She walked away from him, leaving Sasuke to rub his forehead and revisit the hundreds of memories that came with the familiar gesture.

A scene came to his mind. Leaving the village had been easy, but saying goodbye to his friends had been a little more difficult. Sakura had once again expressed her desire to go with him on his journey, looking embarrassed and afraid of rejection. Sasuke had told her that she had nothing to do with his sins, and of course she had been disheartened. In that moment, he had walked up to her and poked her forehead, reassuring her that he would be back soon.

Ah, he thought. He supposed he was making a habit of using that gesture with her. Well, he would have to be less transparent with her in the future. He sighed, hoping that wouldn't be too hopeless.

...

Sasuke roused to the sound of loud banging and without realizing exactly where he was, he threw the mass that was on top of him away from him and reached out in the dark for his katana. Grabbing firmly onto the sword's hilt, he aimed it towards the direction of the noise. After a hazy second of confusion, Sasuke realized he was in Sakura's living room, having just jumped off the couch and practically destroyed the blankets and pillows that were now sprawled across the room. As the day's previous memories returned to him, he snapped his head towards the source of the jarring noise and realized it was coming from the door.

"Sakura-san! Sakura-san! Are you in there?!," someone yelled from outside, pounding as if they could break the door down.

Sasuke moved angrily towards the door in his stupor, wondering why someone would be creating such an uproar in the middle of the night like this. Just as he was about to throw open the door and aim his sword in their direction, Sakura came bursting out from the bedroom down the hall.

"What is it?! What's going on?!" she demanded as she ran towards him, wrapping a cloak firmly around herself to conceal her nightclothes. Sasuke was instantly released from his leftover sleep when he saw this, looking immediately away from her.

The noise came again, along with the frantic shouting, "Sakura-san! Hello?! Damn it!"

Sasuke was right behind her whenever Sakura's hand finally made connection with the door's handle and he watched as she threw open the door to reveal a young ninja dressed in the standard medic colors of cream and red.

"Oh, thank goodness," the man exclaimed at the sight of her, panting heavily.

"Fumio?" Sakura gasped, "What in the world is going on?"

The man faulted in his frantic breathing for a second when he suddenly noticed Sasuke's glare over Sakura's shoulder. Reflecting on it later, Sasuke supposed he _did_ look rather severe with his weapon drawn and his face expressing his extreme desire to punch this man in the face.

The ninja redirected his attention back to Sakura and remembering his panic, managed to stumble out, "There's been an emergency. We need you, immediately."

"Go," Sakura demanded, speaking in an authoritative voice that Sasuke didn't recognize. "I'll be right behind you! You can update me on the way."

She didn't even take a second to close the door before she was running back down the corridor towards her bedroom, nearly giving Sasuke whip-lash as he tried to follow her movements.

"Sasuke," he heard her call from the bedroom, "I don't have time to be formal with you, right now, so I'll just say it."

Sasuke made to move down the hall towards her voice but stopped when she retreated from the bedroom, now clad in her medical garb. She took his arm and pushed something cold into his palm. He raised his hand and unwrapped his fingers, finding himself looking down at a small silver key.

"I want you to stay here while you are in Konoha," she said resolutely.

Sasuke's eyes widened and he instantly thrusted the key back at her but she had already walked past him and was now proceeding to slip on her shoes by the door.

"No—" Sasuke began seriously, about to tell her that he couldn't—wouldn't—didn't want to stay here. He had just stayed the one night because of the storm and that was all. He didn't manage to speak a word of this before Sakura interrupted him.

"Look," she said, slipping on her lab coat that had been hanging next to her red rain jacket. "This is an offer with no strings attached. I understand you are leaving and you don't plan to stay. But for as long as you are in the village, let me help you as a friend."

She turned to face him then, using one second of her time to level him with her determined demeanor.

Before Sasuke could register what she had said, the door was slammed as Sakura made her hurried exit. Looking down at his palm again, he sighed and fisted the key.

 _Damn it._


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note** : Decided to give up on homework for more important things…like Naruto (more specifically, SasuSaku). After that whole stunt that SP pulled in the last episode of Boruto, I feel like I need to defend Sasuke's character. For those of you who've read Sasuke Shinden, and especially Gaiden, Im assuming you probably feel the same way that I do. I mean, come on. Sasuke is not the type of person (post-redemption journey) to say "You're too soft" about killing children! I mean he literally SAVED LIVES in Sasuke Shinden. He most certainly wouldn't have tried to kill clone-Shin at this point in his life. Come on SP, you're contradicting yourselves. Anyone else worried about what might be done with Sasuke's character in the future Boruto series? *cringe*

On a more positive note, can I just get a hoop and a holler for that awesome family photo this week?!

Also, I'm doing my best to stick to character in this story, so in regards to Sakura, I personally think at this point, she would definitely be showing signs of frustration. Especially since she has been waiting for a longgggg time and Sasuke is being… well-Sasuke-y, as always. I want to portray her bubbly "all-about Sasuke" attitude but can we give this girl some credit? She's more than that and her character has come a long way! She has had to deal with his crap for far too long (and that's not getting them anywhere). Just be patient with me as I get the feel for her character.

 **P.S**. About the "kun" honorific: I'm not that familiar with it. So I'll be excluding it. If it makes Sakura more like herself for her to use "kun," then by all means, imagine it.

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Summary** : After 2 years, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. One specific pink-haired individual has perhaps waited for him with far more dedication than anyone else. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village.

 **Chapter 8** : "Beginnings and Ends"

Sakura found herself staring at a scene she wasn't quite ready for. She had surpassed Fumio in their flight after he told her the details of the situation. One of Sakura's newly admitted mental health patients, a young child named Emiko, whose parents had been recent victims of Chino's chakra human bombs, had just jumped off the top floor of the hospital wing.

When Sakura finally made it to the south side of the hospital, she immediately spotted a group of medical ninja huddled in the street before her, surrounding the child's body. At Sakura's sudden appearance, a tear-streaked Ino called out to her from the crowd.

"Sakura!" she cried frantically as Sakura approached them.

In Sakura's panic, she rushed forward and the group parted for her, revealing the gruesome reality before her. The small child lay sprawled on her back, a pale figure in the dark. Emiko's arm was twisted horrendously at her side, having taken the brunt of the child's fall. Shizune was kneeling beside the girl, fingers covered in blood as she held the child's head in her lap.

Never had Sakura witnessed something so horrifying as this: a child, younger than most in her clinic, who had felt that life was not worth living and so flung herself from the top story of the medical wing.

Sakura knelt next to the child and Shizune backed away.

"She's gone," Shizune whispered, looking away from Sakura's eyes. "I'm so sorry."

Looking down into Emiko's face, Sakura saw that the child stared blankly up at the sky. There was nothing in them. Blood pooled beneath Emiko's head and Sakura placed her hands on either side of the child's sticky wet temples. Instantly, green chakra pulsed from her palms into Emiko's head. Ever since Fumio had relayed the details to Sakura, she had already been planning the steps she would take to heal the girl but Sakura gasped as she realized the true state of the child's brain and tears instantly sprung forward to her eyes.

"What was she doing in the medical wing?!" the Kunoichi finally burst, lashing out at her staff. "She was supposed to have been in her room!" No one could look her in the eyes as she searched desperately for answers.

"Sensei," Kirai, her medical pupil spoke up. "It's my fault. I called the majority of the staff away from the mental health section to help assist with the hospital patients. It was in the middle of the night and I didn't think- Without you, we've been-"

Sakura looked away from her, tears pouring freely down her cheeks. Memories of the child plagued her conscience. With no family and no other relatives, Sakura had admitted Emiko fully into the mental health clinic. Due to the child's extreme condition, Sakura recommended her for 24-hour care. She was only 6 and Sakura believed that she would have a promising recovery with the help from the clinic. Unfortunately, due to the increase of patients and lack of staff, Sakura had been unable to be with her.

Damn it. Kirai was right. If only she had been here. If only she had been able to manage her patients better. If only she would have gone with her gut and came in yesterday, despite Kakashi's wishes. If only she hadn't been so distracted with Sasuke and her feelings for him. None of this would have happened. It was all her fault.

She concentrated her chakra more fiercely into the child's skull, willing the damage to be undone. Sakura's former strength still hadn't quite fully returned and after a few minutes, her breath grew ragged and sweat began to bead on her forehead. To her expectations, the brain wasn't responding, and as Sakura tried to hope, she knew it was too late. The damage was irreversible, even for her medical ninjutsu. The child had just been too small, and the fall too great. Sakura was merely trying to revive what was already dead.

Sakura's thoughts jumped to the woman who had used the One's Own Life Reincarnation Jutsu to revive Gaara, whom had died by the hands of the Akatsuki. They had taken the tailed-beast that had resided inside of him; the cost was Gaara's life. Chiyo had been able to bring him back with this jutsu.

Sakura wished desperately to be in mastery of that jutsu. If she were, would she be able to save this child? Could she be so selfless? Sakura wanted the answer to be yes.

Ino came up beside her, kneeling. "Sakura. There's nothing you can do."

"I'm sorry," Sakura whispered as she lifted the child to her, holding and rocking the little girl in her arms, whispering her name. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. You'll get to see Mama and Papa soon."

After a while, all Sakura could feel was numbness. She couldn't feel Ino prying her fingers off Emiko's clothing or her arms being untangled from the little girl's body. Sakura watched as Emiko's lifeless body was carried into the hospital. The circle of people was a blur around her and the kunoichi didn't move when one of them reached out to grab her. Sakura could barely register the voices around her.

"We need to get her inside. She might be going into psychogenic shock."

"She's our top medical ninja. Something like this wouldn't affect her that much; she's seen far worse."

"Her chakra reserves are low, you idiot!"

Despite the voices, Sakura sat on the ground, willing herself to move. To get up and face the situation like the strong kunoichi she knew that she could be. She was responsible for this, after all. Her fault. Her fault. Her fault.

But before she could rise, her arms were wrapped over the necks of two ninja and she let them help her inside.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Let's get this over with, Sasuke Uchiha thought as he approached the village gates at sunrise. Kakashi wasn't there, of course. He had specifically told him to meet him at the entrance "bright and early" today.

"Liar," he muttered under his breath, leaning against the gate's "あ" symbol in annoyance.

He had blatantly ignored the gate-keepers who seemed very tired after their long shift. Their interest had spiked when they saw the Uchiha, but after passing them in silence, the ninja resumed their laidback positions. Sasuke could empathize with their exhaustion. With last night's events, Sasuke had found it difficult to find sleep again.

After Sakura had left, he had immediately placed the key she had given him on the table. Like hell he would stay in her apartment for the remainder of his visit. What did she expect? For him to accept and they awkwardly bump into each other for a few more nights, struggling to make conversation, and ignore the fact that he was leaving?

Tossing throughout the remainder of the night, he had kept sneaking glances at the silver object on the table. In the morning, just before he left, he had grabbed the key from the table, unsure of what to do with it. What if was her only key? He couldn't just leave it on the table. He had thought about leaving it under the mat on the porch-but there wasn't one.

Now, as he pulled it from his pocket, the Uchiha couldn't help but stare at it in frustration, as if it were an unwelcome burden. Why did Sakura want to do this to herself? She knew the truth, so why did she insist that he stay? He wouldn't—couldn't do that to her. Besides, what would that mean for them? If he crossed that boundary, how would she ever move on?

He rubbed the key's surface absently, then hurriedly stashed it in his cloak's interior pocket when he sensed a familiar presence land beside him.

"Sorry I'm late," Kakashi greeted. "I'm afraid that I got-"

"Save it," the Uchiha interrupted him, his lip almost tilting at the corner. Sasuke had almost forgotten what it was like to wait around on this man. Even though it annoyed him to no end, a warm nostalgia came with his former sensei's excuses.

Kakashi sighed, "Just as impatient as you've always been." Sasuke noticed the smile that this man was failing to conceal behind his black mask. Sasuke supposed Kakashi was remembering a better time, too.

After a minute of silence, Kakashi finally said, "Our guests should be here anytime. I'm afraid our friend Yamato won't be joining us. However, I believe you'll recognize their escort who agreed to meet up with him."

Sasuke looked over at the white-haired ninja beside him, unamused with this guessing game. The only ninja he had any desire to see pass through this gate was that annoying, spikey haired, idiot. Maybe if he would hurry, then Sasuke wouldn't have to face this awkward situation he was currently finding himself in. Naruto was sure taking his time.

With the sunrise, a light pink-yellow hue began to illuminate the trees, outlining a group of people as they made their way to the entrance.

Sasuke sighed. Well, here we go.

As they got closer, Sasuke heard a loud voice at the head of the crowd.

"Forward! We are almost there! The village gates are just yards away!"

This loud figure soon came into view and Sasuke resisted the urge to sigh again when he recognized the thick-eyebrowed, tights-wearing ninja who happened to be jogging in place. Not only was Rock Lee doing squats every few feet, but he had several children wrapped around his arms and legs who were giggling and grinning as they bounced around with his movements. One child had two fists full of Lee's hair as he rode atop Lee's shoulders, and Sasuke could faintly hear the child repeating Lee's orders.

"Forward people" the child yelled, "To the gates."

After him, came the rest of the group. In sharp contrast to Lee's energy, the crowd that followed him practically sagged in exhaustion. Sasuke couldn't help but smirk when he noticed the angry glares the ninja were giving Lee. Knowing Lee, he had probably turned the travel into a form of "Youth" building expedition.

Some of the angry countenances disappeared completely when the people noticed the gates. Lee seemed to spot the two of them waiting.

"Ah, Lord Hokage! As you can see, the mission has been successful, sir!" he shouted, forming a salute with his childbearing right arm. The dangling youngster giggled as the ninja snapped his hand to his forehead. The other child on his shoulders copied Lee's salute.

"Sasuke?!" Lee rose his thick eyebrows, lowering his hand again. "Is that really you? You were the last person I was expecting to see today."

As Sasuke raised his hand in a half-interested attempt at acknowledgement, he picked up the low murmuring in the crowd. He couldn't help but pick out his name among the talk. Some of the children detached themselves from Lee and ran up to the Uchiha, yanking on his cloak and saying, "Sasuke! Sasuke!"

Suddenly, he realized that the faces in the crowd wore smiles. Almost everyone either waved or yelled out his name.

Kakashi suddenly elbowed him, grumbling, "You're outshining the Hokage."

"Get used to it," the Uchiha retorted, detaching a child from his leg and holding her away from him at a safe distance as she giggled manically.

"Sorry about that," a young woman said as she came up to him, removing the child from his hands. "The children have all heard the stories about how you saved us from the arena."

A burly ninja, a man Sasuke barely recognized from his fight with him in the arena, suddenly clapped him on the back, saying "Yes, The Great Sasuke Uchiha and his Sharingan! They've been dying to meet you."

"We are very grateful," another ninja said to him as they all began to circle him, offering their thanks and bows. Sasuke found this sudden attention both shocking and undeserved. Feeling a little suffocated, the Uchiha looked over at Kakashi, who was smiling like a dumb idiot at him, crossing his arms as he laughed. Lee was also grinning at him. Neither of them were trying to help him out.

One by one, the crowd broke away as their sights landed on the Hokage. Parents began to chastise their rambunctious children, telling them to act presentable in the presence of the Hokage. Sasuke couldn't help but smile as one father grabbed his child by the shirt as he swung fists back at him, whispering "Straighten up! We don't want the Hokage to know you're a little demon."

Kakashi laughed at this and offered the crowd a welcoming smile.

"Welcome to Konohagakure, everyone. I'm sure Lee has told you all about us and the village. And by the sudden frowns I see, I assume he has also run some of you into the grown." Lee looked proud despite everyone's glares of judgement towards him.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck again, awkwardly. "Sorry about that."

Looking closely at the ninja, Sasuke could see fatigue etched in the lines of their faces. It seemed that they hadn't quite caught a break since their release from their previous owners. Some of them still carried injuries in the form of sprained arms, bruises, and burns from their fight with Sasuke, to which he felt guilt knot up in his stomach. He wished now that there had been a better way to secure their freedom.

It seemed Kakashi realized this himself, for he spoke up, "Well, I suppose a village tour will have to wait. Let's get you guys some rest. For those of you who have injuries, I want you to come with me to Konoha's hospital. Lee, I want you to escort the rest to their lodgings, and please go easy on them."

"Yes sir!" Lee saluted once again, turning to march in the direction of their quarters. Sasuke watched the little boy from earlier clamber back onto Lee's shoulders and begin to yell, "Forward!"

After the group split, mostly men remained. Sasuke found it difficult to look them in the face even though they all looked on the Uchiha with admiration.

"Right then," Kakashi said, turning and walking through the gates. Swinging his cloak, Sasuke walked hurriedly to catch up to his former sensei in order to avoid conversation with these ninja.

Sasuke was trying to come up with an excuse to split. He didn't quite care to go to the Hospital and face Sakura after their conversation last night. Also, he didn't particularly want to see the look on her face when she found out that Sasuke had caused all of these injuries. For some reason, he didn't want her to know it was him.

"Look, Kakashi. I better-" Sasuke began, but was cut short when a ninja landed in front of them. Sasuke recognized the spikey pony-tailed ninja and frowned when Shikamaru rushed up to Kakashi's other side, speaking to the Hokage in a low voice.

Sasuke was about to take advantage of the situation and just leave altogether, but found himself rooted to the spot when he heard Sakura's name in Shikamaru's hushed speech. Without realizing what he was doing, Sasuke strained to hear the conversation.

"Why haven't I been told about this sooner?" Kakashi asked him in annoyance.

"I couldn't find you. This was the last place I looked. I only just learned about it myself," Shikamaru exclaimed.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" Kakashi asked, slowing his pace.

"Ino says she's keeping an eye on her," Shikamaru replied.

Kakashi reached up and grabbed the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "Damn it."

Sasuke's frown deepened when Kakashi suddenly turned to the group that followed him, presenting them with a sudden excuse. "My apologies. It seems we won't be going to the Hospital, after all. If you guys don't mind, Sasuke will escort you to the lodgings along with the rest of your group. I'll personally accompany a medical ninja to see to your injuries in your rooms."

In sharp contrast to Sasuke's current feelings, the group seemed relieved to be going straight to their shelter.

"What the hell, Kakashi," Sasuke hissed at the Hokage. "What is going on?"

"Sorry Sasuke," his sensei replied. "I need to see someone right now."

Sasuke wanted nothing more than to grab him by the cloak and demand answers. What the hell were he and Shikamaru talking about? Did it have to do with Sakura's sudden leave last night? Did something bad happen to her? Before he could get these answers, Kakashi and Shikamaru were gone and Sasuke was left with a group who stared at him expectantly.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9** : A Day of Worry

Sasuke paced the ground outside of Sakura's apartment. It was almost midnight and she still hadn't come home.

After Kakashi had left him with the crowd of newly admitted Konoha citizens, Sasuke had escorted them to their lodgings, left them in Lee's care, and vanished within minutes. He hadn't had any desire to hang around.

After he left, Sasuke had stopped by Kakashi's office only to find it void of both his former sensei and the shadow master ninja. Sasuke didn't know why he had gone straight there knowing that Kakashi and Shikamaru would most likely be gone. If Sakura was involved, Sasuke assumed the two of them had made a bee-line for the hospital. To be honest, Sasuke had seriously considered heading in that direction, too, but had mentally chastised himself. Surely Kakashi could handle the situation being the Hokage, he supposed. The Hokage _had_ chosen to keep him in the dark about it, after all.

To occupy himself, Sasuke had spent the rest of his day looking for distracting things to do. He had trained for most of the evening, practicing taijutsu to avoid over using his chakra. When his heart was no longer in the practice, Sasuke had turned to the methodical task of cleaning his weapons. Despite all this, Sasuke had kept worrying. It was dumb, to constantly find himself instinctively feeling like Sakura needed saving. He had seen her skills on the battlefield during the 4th great shinobi world war; he had experienced her medical prowess first hand; he had witnessed her victory against Kido. So why was he worrying? The Sasuke he had been just a couple of years ago certainly wouldn't have been. He wouldn't have even thought twice about it. Perhaps he really was changing.

And so, to the Uchiha's embarrassment, he currently found himself lurking in front of Sakura's apartment under the cloak of darkness. He told himself he was just here to return the key. He would give her the key, tell her he refused her offer, then leave. But as the minutes ticked away, Sasuke's uneasiness grew.

Where the hell was she? It was nearly 1 a.m. Surely she would have come back by now. Did something seriously bad happen to her? No, he told himself. He was choosing to have faith in her abilities. He supposed if it were serious enough, _somebody_ would have made the effort to tell him. Or maybe not, Sasuke suddenly thought. He had been mostly absent for the past 6 years. It made sense that the leaf village would operate on emergencies without considering him.

Maybe Sakura was just busy. Sasuke knew she was extremely preoccupied with her position as the hospital's head medic, especially now considering she had told him that a unit had departed for Kumogakure. Taking into account Naruto's persisting absence, Sasuke concluded that the medical crew must not have returned yet, either. Maybe, Sasuke suddenly thought, Sakura had already been here and decided to return to the hospital for the night shift.

Completely annoyed with himself, Sasuke pulled the key from his pocket and swiftly unlocked the apartment's front door. He told himself he wasn't snooping as he slyly investigated the living room, bathroom, and kitchen, glancing around for any signs of her coming and going. There wasn't any point in sticking around if she had gone and left already.

Suddenly, he heard the front door's handle unlatch and the Uchiha looked sharply towards the door. He crossed his arms, exhaling a sigh of relief and pretending not to feel annoyed as he leaned against the kitchen table. The Uchiha forced an expression of passivity on his face, quickly concealing his apprehension. He'd be damned if he gave her the satisfaction of seeing him even slightly worried.

However, as the door swung open and Sasuke caught the faint outline of a stranger, he lunged forward. Shoving the intruder back outside and to the ground, Sasuke unsheathed his katana and leveled it at the man's throat.

"Woah! Back off!" cried out a familiar voice, and as Sasuke's vision adjusted to the darkness, he was able to recognize the ninja laying on the ground before him.

Deactivating his Sharingan, Sasuke sighed, "You? What the hell are you doing here?"

Pushing the blade away from his face and rising to his feet, Shikamaru dusted off his shoulders. "Boy this is a drag. I could ask you the same question, you know. Should we add "stalking women" to your list of crimes?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the ninja before him as he secured his blade back into its sheath. Sasuke didn't even know how to react. Part of him wanted to demand why Shikamaru felt like he had the liberty to just walk into Sakura's apartment. Who the hell did he think he was? The other part of Sasuke was somewhat disconcerted at the fact that someone other than Sakura had caught him here; he decided to ignore this part. Sasuke had every right to be here if he wanted. Unlike Shikamaru, he had a damn key, after all.

"Not that I owe you any explanations," began the lazy ninja, "but, I've been looking for you. In fact, looking here was the last on my list, considering I figured it would be the _last_ place you'd be." Shikamaru paused to give that statement time to sink in before adding, "Guess I should have looked here first."

"Spit it out," Sasuke sneered at him, "What do you want?"

"Actually," he stated seriously, "it's about Sakura."

Sasuke's angered expression disappeared as he heard this.

"What happened?"

. . . . . . . . .

Sasuke couldn't help but feel a stab of concern as Shikamaru relayed to him the events that had happened the previous night. He told Sasuke that Sakura felt entirely to blame for the little girl's death due to her absence the previous two days. Shikamaru then told him that Sakura had chosen to throw herself into her work, but as the day continued, she began to break down.

"Break down?" he had asked.

"You'll see what I mean soon enough," Shikamaru said as the two of them had quickly made their way towards the hospital.

What was that supposed to mean? Every time Sasuke had witnessed Sakura have a breakdown, it usually involved him. First, in the land of Water when she thought he had died, he had regained consciousness only to have her kneeling over the top of him crying. The time that stuck out most in his mind was the night when he left the leaf village. She had been waiting on the road that led outside of the village when he had arrived, bag packed and not wearing his forehead protector. That night, all Sasuke had thought about was revenge. Even though she had cried out to him, confessed her feelings, and begged to go with him, he had still chosen to sever that bond.

It was a bit ironic now, just how much he was willing to do to keep it, Sasuke thought as he walked through the hospital doors. Sasuke couldn't help but notice how different the hospital was, now that it had been rebuilt after Pein's attack on the village.

Ino and Sai were the first two people the Uchiha noticed as he made his entrance. They were standing by one of the check-in desks. Sai had his back to him but turned when he saw Ino's expression change into one of shock.

"Sasuke?" she exclaimed in disbelief, "What are you doing here?"

Sasuke didn't respond as he turned to Shikamaru who followed close behind him.

"Well? Where is she?"

"This way," Shikamaru said before heading towards the stairs leading up to the second floor.

Walking quickly, Sai and Ino caught up to them as they ascended the stairs. Sasuke didn't know if he was annoyed or somewhat eased to find Shikamaru not in any particular rush to reach the top floor. Sakura wasn't in any immediate danger, then. Good, he thought to himself.

But then Ino's voice interrupted his thinking. "Do you really think it would be good for Sasuke to see her like this, Shikamaru?"

What the hell did that mean?

"Despite whatever objections we might have," Shikamaru replied, "it's Kakashi's orders."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at that slightly accusative statement. He supposed they had every right to think what they wanted about him. Sasuke knew he couldn't really win his old classmates over after everything he had done. To be honest, Sasuke didn't necessarily care if they didn't like him. It didn't matter, he told himself.

"Well, as a member of Team 7," Sai suddenly spoke up behind him, "I feel like my personal decisions should be considered."

Sasuke couldn't help but turn and glare back in the ninja's direction, "And what decision is that?"

Ino grabbed Sai's arm but the ninja pulled away, crossing his arms as he said, "That you get back to your mission _outside_ the village."

Sasuke ignored that comment and kept walking. He wasn't going to let that stupid ink-obsessed, poor-choice-of-a-replacement get to him. He would keep walking.

"Sai," Ino nudged, "you know that Sasuke has important stuff that only he-"

"That's just part of his excuse," Sai continued, interrupting her. "If you want to know what I think, I think it would be best for both Naruto and Sakura if you left and didn't come back."

"No one asked what you thought," Sasuke said calmly, hiding the anger that was rising steadily in his throat, "Now get lost."

"Unlike you," Sai began again, "I intend to protect my bonds with those two. That includes Sakura. I'm still not that great at understanding one's feelings, but even I can see that Sakura suffers greatly because of you. How is she supposed to find happiness if you keep reappearing and then ditching her again?"

Sasuke fisted his palms as they turned a corner. Reacting will only give him what he wants, he thought. If only they all knew how often Sasuke had told himself these things. He knew what he was doing right now was contradicting everything he had done up until now. But hearing Sai say this, Sasuke had the sudden urge to prove this idiot wrong.

Finally, they took another hurried left, revealing the Hokage dressed in the Hokage's white and red, leaning casually against one of the walls. He had his arms crossed, one foot against the wall as he looked up at the ceiling. As opposed to the rest of the hospital, this corridor's lights had been dimmed dramatically.

At the sight of his sensei, Sasuke finally pushed past Shikamaru, leaving the others behind as he hurriedly approached the man who had requested him.

"Kakashi, do you care to explain all this to me?"

"It's about time," he said, straightening up. After realizing he wasn't going to receive a response to this, the Hokage asked, "What do you know, already?"

"Not much," Sasuke answered flatly, still annoyed at the three ninja who were now eavesdropping a few feet away.

Sasuke frowned at his sensei as the ninja placed his hands casually in his pockets, sighing.

"Well," he began, "It seems our Sakura has finally found her way into Tsunade's stash of alcohol." Kakashi then emphasized his statement by pointing at the door directly across from the wall he had just been leaning against. Just to the right of the door, a small silver plaque that said "Haruno Sakura" labeled the door.

Sasuke couldn't help but let out an annoyed sigh as he pinched his nose. Despite what Sakura had just gone through, he could help but think: this was what was wrong? She was drunk? He supposed he was somewhat relieved that there was nothing more wrong with her, but the more dominant feeling that the Uchiha was feeling was frustration. He had been unnecessarily worried about her all day, dealt with Shikamaru, Sai, and Ino all in one night, and now, Kakashi was telling him that she had gotten herself drunk. God, this woman would be the death of him.

"That's all?" he spat out. "You're the Hokage. Go in and get her. Why do you need me here?"

"I've already tried," Kakashi said bluntly, looking shamefully away.

"We all have," Ino interjected from a few feet away. "She doesn't want to see us."

Sasuke just looked around at them like they were all a bunch of idiots.

"You call yourselves shinobi?" he insulted them, walking towards Sakura's office door.

As he grabbed the handle, twisted the knob, and pushed the door inward, Sasuke had to immediately slam it back shut to avoid being hit directly in the face with a thrown bottle. As the door clicked back shut, the glass shattered against the wood on the other side.

"I SAID STAY THE FUCK OUT KAKASHI!"

Eyes now widened, Sasuke turned back to look at Kakashi. The Uchiha certainly wasn't expecting that.

Kakashi just rubbed the back of his head embarrassingly, letting out a small laugh as he said, "You're forgetting that she's a shinobi, too. And a terrible drunk. The two don't mix well."

"Hn," Sasuke remarked, thinking silently to himself, hand still resting on the door knob. He supposed Sakura _would_ be the rather violent drunk. She had always been the angry type with the people closest to her, especially to Naruto. Sasuke had always watched coolly as she exploded on him over the smallest things. There was more than just her temperament in effect here, though. After all, she was also dealing with a death. That was also more than likely intensifying her behavior. To be honest, he didn't know how he would handle this, other than to…

Twisting the knob again, Sasuke ducked as he entered the dark room. As a number of bottles flew over the top of him, he was finally able to locate their source. Sakura was positioned in the corner of the room, sitting down behind a pile of empty bottles, many of which she was firing off at him like rounds. She wasn't even looking as she threw and cussed wildly.

Dodging them, he was finally able to reach her. Grabbing hold of her left arm with his right hand, he tried to prevent her from throwing the next bottle. Sasuke found that keeping his grip on her was very difficult considering her inhuman strength, something he shouldn't have been surprised about. In order to keep from losing control, Sasuke ended up having to spin behind her, pinning her left arm and the bottle between them.

When she turned to counter him, Sasuke had already activated his Sharingan. Their eyes briefly met and even in the dim light, Sasuke saw the surprise in hers right before he placed the kunoichi under his genjutsu. Sakura immediately slumped and Sasuke released his hold on her arm, guiding her shoulder to the wall. Once she was in an unconscious sitting position, he stood and began to look around.

The furniture was knocked over and Sakura's desk was split down the middle. Liquor bottles and broken glass lay everywhere, but Sasuke was relieved to see that most of these were still full. She had definitely gotten herself drunk, but it could have been much worse.

He heard crunching glass behind him as Kakashi entered the room, stopping a few feet away from him. He also heard Shikamaru and Sai grumbling to one another about him, throwing in occasional insults. Sasuke ignored this.

"You don't think you went a little far with the genjutsu?" Kakashi asked, bending down to check on Sakura, "You never did have much restraint."

Sasuke scoffed at this. If Kakashi had wanted it handled a certain way, then he should have done it himself. He watched as his former sensei reached out to place a palm on Sakura's forehead.

"Her body temperature seems normal," Kakashi remarked, then held his ear close to her mouth. "And her breathing is level for now. We should continue to watch for signs of alcohol poisoning throughout the night, but I think her primary need is rest at the moment."

Sasuke felt his shoulders relax. He hadn't realized how rigid he was holding himself until that moment. Just as Kakashi made to reach out to her, Sasuke found himself butting in.

"I'll take her," he said, not knowing why he had felt the sudden need to. Even as he looped her arm around his shoulder, carefully lifting her up from the ground, Sasuke tried to talk himself out of it, but couldn't. Kakashi stared blankly at him, as if he were truly shocked the Uchiha was offering to help her.

A voice resounded from the doorway and Sasuke's glare fell on Shikamaru as the ninja said, "Like we'd really trust her with you."

Sasuke really got their attention when he bent down and tipped Sakura over his right shoulder, holding her up by the back of the legs. There wasn't really a delicate way to hold someone with one arm. Still, Sasuke found that he would rather do it than anyone else.

He walked towards the door but found that Sai wasn't giving way. Instead, the ninja held his ground and stuck out his jaw, speaking low, "If you think I'm just going to let you do what you-"

"Move," the Uchiha demanded, activating the scarlet in his eyes. The Uchiha had just about endured all he could from this one.

Suddenly, Kakashi was there, placing himself between the two. "Alright, let's keep level heads, here," he spoke with that authoritative voice that reminded them all that he was the Hokage.

Placing a firm hand on Sai's shoulder, Kakashi added, "Sai, that's enough. You are all forgetting that Sasuke is one of us. He is also a member of Team 7. We can trust him to take Sakura home."

With that, there was no more arguing. Sasuke pushed through the group, leaving them all behind as he descended down the hall and down the stairs. Once he was out the door, taking a firmer hold on Sakura and making sure she was stable, he disappeared into the night.

. . . . . . . . . .

 **Author's Note** : Poor Shikamaru, he's become quite the errand boy. Also, can we get a round of applause for Sai? I mean, someone needs to stick up for Sakura. Also, what did you guys think about drunk Sakura?

Thank you all again for your reviews. I cannot tell you how many times I check my inbox after posting a chapter, hoping there will be one in there. I absolutely love the feedback. And for those of you who are angry about Sakura's current positions with the hospital, don't worry. Things will look up soon!

Also, this chapter was like a month ahead of schedule. I'm hoping that by knowing this, you will all be more patient with the next chapter.

As always, please favorite and share!


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note** : Sorry for the really long wait! College has been murder the past couple of months. Hoping you guys enjoy this! Think of this as your Halloween treat from me! And if you want to treat me back, reviews, likes, and shares are always my favorite!

 **P.S**. "Hanakotoba" is the Japanese equivalent of the Language of the Flowers. Apparently, there are several meanings to every flower and if that isn't complicated enough, flowers mean one thing when they are sent in one situation and another if they are given in a different situation. Fun fact.

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Chapter 10** : "The Gift of Flowers"

Sakura groaned as she rocked back and forth slightly. Her head pounded as she realized blood was rushing to her head from being upside down. Peeking in the darkness, it took her a hazy minute to realize that she was being carried and that she was watching the back of someone's feet as they walked.

"Kakashi?" she murmured. She tried to lift up slightly but a wave of nausea came over and she barely managed to keep from throwing up. She heard someone speak, a deep murmur that she couldn't distinguish. The world was a blur around her and she realized her body wasn't processing sound. Her vision, she realized, was also cloudy.

Why was she being carried? What was going on?

"Put me down," she managed to get out, a small alarm going off in her head that maybe it wasn't Kakashi helping her, but it was an enemy. Why else was she so dizzy? Had they poisoned her? Her ninja instincts told her she should try to get away, to kick, scream, to do anything to free herself. Lifting her right hand from the ninja's back, she pushed hard in an effort to lift up, but failed because of the nausea.

Suddenly, the ninja who was holding her stopped and set her on the ground. As she was sitting, the ninja pushed back against her body until she was leaning against a solid surface. Sakura felt something cold touch her mouth and she instantly spat out as liquid hit her tongue. She wouldn't be drinking anything this ninja was giving her.

Sakura heard the deep murmur again but couldn't recognize the words. In her dizziness, she was barely able to make out a dark figure crouching in front of her. Her instinct was to fight this person and run but her body wasn't moving.

A hand came to her forehead and lingered there. Sakura squinted, trying to pull away. She was able to make out small orbs of light in the distance. It was comforting to know she was still in the village, but she was obviously in some sort of alley. This was not the place where she was supposed to be. Where _was_ she supposed to be?

Sakura heard the voice again and the hand on her forehead slid down to her chin. She felt pressure on it but when she didn't open her mouth, the hand pressed harder and Sakura found that she was too weak to resist. As her teeth opened, Sakura felt a small of amount of water rush into her mouth and she swallowed some by accident. She tried to cough and when she did, vomit came up her throat and out her mouth.

The ninja suddenly stood and took a step away from her. After she was finished, Sakura fell forward but before she could fall into her own mess, an arm caught hold of her body.

"Let go," she breathed. Her voice failed her; Sakura had meant to scream it.

She heard the murmur again. It was slow with three beats to it. They were saying the same word over and over. It almost sounded like her name.

Her vision grew black and when the ninja picked her up again and placed her on his shoulder, she slipped back into unconsciousness.

When she stirred again, she found herself laying on her side with something firm against her back. Reaching around her, she identified the feel of pillows and blankets. Was this her bed?

She heard the same voice again and saw the figure of a person leaning against her bedroom doorframe. She wanted to speak out but when she tried a palm gently covered her eyes and she fell back asleep.

…

Sasuke watched as the pink-haired kunoichi tossed silently in her sleep. For a second, he thought he was going to have to force her to stay on her side, but she failed in her attempt to roll onto her back because of the wall of pillows he had fortified behind her, and so she returned to her side.

Walking around to the foot of the bed, Sasuke quickly found another pillow that had been lost between the bed and the wall and tucked it against her chest. He also pushed her legs up until her knees were bent, so that her body made a "Z" shape. That would keep her from rolling on to her stomach.

Sasuke sighed and let himself slip down the wall adjacent to her bed, making sure he was still in eyesight of her. Isn't this what you were supposed to do for someone who was intoxicated? Watch them to make sure they would be okay? Sure, he imagined he would eventually find himself in this situation one day, but he never imagined having to look after _Sakura._ Naruto, or Kakashi maybe, but not her. In fact, if that were the case, he would have probably ditched either of them onto Sakura for her to look after. In order for Sakura to have done something that was completely unlike her, she must really be suffering.

But even in her suffering, Sakura had always dealt with it in strength, hadn't she? Why would she suddenly resort to alcohol? To be honest, Sasuke blamed that Sanin-Hokage-Sensei of hers. With as much time as Sakura had spent with her, Tsunade was bound to have an influence. While they were mostly good influences, he didn't see why there wouldn't be some bad habits his kunoichi teammate had picked up over time.

Sasuke sighed, resolved to let the questions go. For now, all he cared about was that Sakura was alright. Kakashi had said she would be okay as far as Alcohol Poisoning was concerned. In the meantime, what she needed was rest and water. He had tried to give her the latter of the two earlier on the street, but she had resisted him. He had tried to talk to her, but she seemed too out of it to listen.

In all honesty, Sasuke had been surprised that Sakura had been able to wake up at all. It seemed that even when she was drunk, she was nearly impervious to genjutsu. On anyone else, the genjutsu wouldn't have worn off for hours. He remembered using the Sharingan on Sakura before his battle with Naruto, when Sakura had once again pleaded with him. Of course, he had been more ruthless at the time, but his goal had been to immobilize her with his genjutsu in order to prevent her interference in their fight. After the battle, when Sasuke laid side by side with his blond friend, arm missing at the elbow, Sakura had shown up and healed her teammates devotedly despite the genjutsu he had just placed her under.

"Sakura… I…" he had begun, only for her to interrupt him.

"Just shut up for now. I'm concentrating."

He had continued despite her command, "I'm sorry."

She had played it off, saying "Sorry? For what?"

Sasuke had stared up at her, genuinely regretful of his behavior towards her over the past 3 years. It was with this feeling that he had spoken, "For everything up until now."

For some reason, Sasuke found that his regret still lingered. Maybe that was why he was keeping a careful eye on his drunk teammate while she slept, right now. Looking back, Sasuke realized he owed Sakura a lot. Whenever Sasuke had been sick, injured, or hospitalized, it was always Sakura who had attended him, sitting by his bedside and doing things like bringing him flowers and peeling him apples.

A sharp image of shattering glass and falling apples came to his mind. He had smacked her offered plate away angrily and proceeded to challenge Naruto to a fight.

Sasuke sighed again and buried his face into his palm.

He truly felt guilty for not valuing his friends more. Even to this day, he was away from them. Sasuke couldn't help but recall what Sai had said to him in the hospital: "If you want to know what I think, I think it would be best for both Naruto and Sakura if you left and didn't come back."

Sasuke knew that Sai was right. He didn't deserve the happiness the two of his friends held out towards him so freely.

…

Sakura's pounding head woke her the following morning. She groaned, covering her face with a pillow to block out the light streaming through her bedroom window and hugged it to her face tightly to relieve the throbbing. Finally, as her body refused to slip back into unconsciousness, memories from the following day began to return to her.

She recalled Emiko's death and Sakura's sorrow returned to her, frustrated tears pricking the corner of her eyes. She had been so upset, that Sakura began to question her decisions in opening her mental health clinic as she worked throughout the rest of the day after the child's death. Not only this, but a couple of her burn patients had come in with late negative reactions to her healing poultice. The skin looked as if it had started to heal, but had stopped and recoiled at the medicine, reddening and swelling. Of course, this had prolonged her patients' healing and they had only come in when they couldn't bear the pain anymore. After softening the medicine and removing it, Sakura had used the last of her chakra to reverse the damage.

Drained and frustrated with herself, Sakura had gone into her office at the end of the day and cried. She had remembered Tsunade telling her that she had to be tough in this profession. Sakura had asked Tsunade one time what she did when the pain was overwhelming and Tsunade had jokingly admitted: "That's what sake is for!" At the time, Sakura had shaken her head and laughed, dismissing the comment completely. But as she sat in her office, Sakura recalled the memory and so had determinedly located the stash she knew her sensei hid in her office.

Taking them all back to her own office, Sakura had stared at the bottles for a few minutes before deciding to go through with it. It's not like anyone or anything else could help her anyway. Ino had told her it wasn't her fault, Shizune had said that there was nothing that could be done to stop someone bent on suicide, the rest of her co-workers promised to do more than what they already were, and Kirai had made her feel even more guilty for apologizing to her all day-she shouldn't have put so much responsibility on the girl's shoulders anyway. She didn't want to talk to anyone anymore.

Naruto always had a way of making her feel better, but of course, he was gone. The only other person she cared to see was Sasuke, and even he wanted nothing to do with her. She had tried to be brave, offering him a key to her apartment she knew he didn't want. She had practically dragged him to her apartment so he could get out of the rain and have a decent meal. He didn't want her help. He didn't want her affection. He would rather be on his own.

These were the thoughts that Sakura had as she opened the first bottle. She didn't make it very far into the first bottle before she began to feel funny. And as she began the second bottle, she heard voices outside her door. Kakashi had apparently shown up to console her, for he had asked, "Sakura, can I come in?"

"Don't even think about it," she had said, crossing her arms over her chest. And every time he had tried, she fired a bottle in his direction. Eventually someone made their way in, pinning her arms behind her. All she remembered was that as she faced the person, she saw red eyes before everything went black.

Red eyes? Sakura thought, removing the pillow from her face, realization dawning on her. Sasuke?

No, Sakura thought, Kakashi had the Sharingan, too. Although she only ever saw Kakashi use genjutsu against Zabuza, she knew he had the ability. But would he have used it on her? Not likely.

Then, Sakura recalled waking up in the middle of being carried by someone. At the time, she had thought it was an enemy but apparently it was friend if she was currently laying in her bed. Maybe it was Kakashi after all.

Sitting up in her bed was more painful than Sakura had expected. She deserved it, she supposed, for acting so foolishly yesterday. She knew what the consequences would be but in the moment she hadn't cared.

Grabbing her head, she slowly swung her legs over her bed before finding her balance to stand. Squinting in the morning light, Sakura stumbled until she could grab her doorknob to steady herself. Before opening the door, a couple of muffled voices met Sakura's ears and she immediately froze, ninja instincts returning to her. Voices? Who was in her house?

Silently, Sakura placed her ear against the door. It was hard to hear anything clearly because of the constant sound of her hearbeat in her head and ears.

"She's sleeping," a low voice grumbled.

Someone responded, but the voice was too distant to hear. A girl's voice?

"She just needs sleep, now go away."

Her eyes widened as she matched the sarcasm to the tone of voice. Along with the pounding in her head, Sakura could feel another form of thrumming begin in her heart. Sasuke? Was it him who had brought her home?

Oh no, she thought. If Sasuke were here, then he probably witnessed her drunk episode last night. That's just fantastic, she thought, seriously considering turning around and crawling back into bed due to her embarrassment.

After a few seconds of working up her courage, Sakura carefully unlatched to door and peeked outside through the crack. The morning light was almost too much for her befuddled senses. She took a couple steps out into the hallway, looking towards the direction of her front door. Sasuke wasn't there. Maybe he left.

Just as she was coming around the corner, Sakura stumbled and grabbed hold of the wall, leaning against it for support. Something caught hold of her arm and Sakura snapped her head towards the left, an action that had her reaching up to support her head.

Looking down at her, a trace of concern in his usual blank expression, was Sasuke.

"You're awake," he stated rather than asked. Despite her pounding head, Sakura couldn't help but react happily to his voice. She tried to smile. She almost couldn't believe it. He _was_ here.

"Sasuke, I didn't expect you to be here. Did you bring me-"

"You should go lie back down," he ordered, interrupting her immediately. He tried to lift her off the wall by pulling carefully on her arm, but she waved him off.

"No. I just need some medicine from the cabinet."

"Don't bother, I'll get it," he said, holding on to her as she tried to make her way into the kitchen. He lead her into the dining room instead, forcing her to sit in one of the chairs.

Grabbing her head, Sakura relaxed into the chair, thankful to be sitting again.

"It's in the cabinet above the stove. Look for the container that has a yellow label. Would you mind bringing me some water, too, if you don't mind?" She heard him rustle around in the cabinets for a minute, bottles clinking. Sakura groaned inwardly; she had forgotten how terribly messy that cabinet was.

"What is this?" Sasuke asked, returning a moment later, sitting the glass jar down in front of her, along with a cup of water.

Sasuke stood over her as she began to pour some of the jar's contents into the water. Just having him in the same room made her nerves do funny things, but now he was standing within a couple feet of her, which was really making her sweat. It also didn't help that she was mortified to have him see her in this pathetic post-drunk state. What had she done? If she was so bent on having Sasuke respect her and believe in her, why had she gone and done that?

Finally, after taking a heavy gulp of the mixture, she replied, "It's a mix of Cysteine and Potassium that breaks down the Acetaldehyde in the liver. I developed it for Lee for when he uses the Drunken Fist."

"Hn," Sasuke replied, taking the jar off the table and putting it back in its place in the cabinet.

Relief permeated throughout Sakura's body as the medicine began to take effect. Slowly, Sakura summoned to her fingertips what little chakra she had managed to gather in this state overnight. Once her fingers began to glow, she placed them weakly on her temples.

Immediately, the sensitivity in her eyes began to fade and her vision slowly cleared, returning to her at last. The sharp noises dulled and Sakura's pain began to ebb away.

Looking behind her, Sakura was able to see Sasuke clearly for the first time. He was leaning against the wall behind her, eyes closed, arms crossed over his chest. The sun from the adjacent window was illuminating his features and casting a glint across the ninja headband he had hanging from his belt.

"Thank you for helping me," Sakura stated as she appraised him. Seeing him in her home like this, knowing that he had once again come to her aid, gave Sakura a little bit of hope.

"It's not like you ever help yourself," he stated matter-of-factly, annoyance apparent in his voice.

Sakura blushed, embarrassed at his rude comment. She deserved it she supposed, in this circumstance. However, the comment still stung.

"You didn't have to," she said, trying to offer him an apologetic smile. "But I'm grateful regardless."

Sasuke looked away from her, obviously out of patience. He didn't give her a reply.

They sat in silence for a few minutes then, neither of them talking about what happened last night. Sasuke leaned against the wall, frowning. With everything else, Sakura was also feeling extreme guilt for getting him involved in this.

"Who was at the door," she asked, suddenly remembering his previous conversation with a person outside.

"Your bothersome blond friend, and not the one I want to see." Sakura had two blond friends: Naruto and Ino, whom were both definitely "bothersome" as Sasuke had put it.

"What did she want," she asked, turning her body more towards him.

"To bring you these," he said, pushing off the wall, grabbing a package off the kitchen counter and walking over to drop a wrapped bouquet of flowers onto the table in front of her.

"Oh," she exclaimed, taking the package gingerly in her hands. The flowers were a mix of vibrant red and blue and Sakura recognized the type of flower immediately. In all her years spent with Ino, she was able to decipher the meaning behind the two types of poppies. The blue poppies represented "get well" and "sympathy" where the red poppies were symbolic of loss and grief. Only Ino would use flowers to communicate her feelings about Emiko's death and Sakura couldn't help but feel sad again, despite being touched at Ino's gift.

Sakura stood then, unbundling the flowers while walking into the kitchen. She located an empty vase in the cabinet below her sink and proceeded to fill it with water. As she placed the flowers carefully in the vase, Sakura couldn't help but think that the red poppies looked so much like the Sharingan. Sneaking a brief glimpse at the man in her dining room, she noticed that he had shifted in her direction, watching her from his peripheral vision.

Loss, death, red poppies, and the Sharingan. Sakura realized that she was struggling now with the death of someone she barely knew, but Sasuke had lost the people closest to him. And if she felt like a failure now, she couldn't imagine what Sasuke had experienced on that terrible night, long ago. Her feelings of anger, regret, and sorrow had caused her to react irrationally last night. She kind of understood a little better now, why Sasuke had left the village and chose the path that he did.

As Sakura continued to unwrap the bundle, she discovered a single bright pink peony bloom hidden among the poppies. She knew exactly what this one meant: bravery and strength. Tears suddenly pricked Sakura's eyes as she recalled a conversation she had had with Ino.

"Sakura, even your name is a flower! You should have much more interest in Hanakotoba."

Sakura had giggled at Ino's logic as she waited for her friend to finish closing down her flower shop, one summer evening.

"It just all seems a little too much don't you think?" Sakura had asked. "And besides the only flowers I've ever given to anyone were to people who didn't necessarily know what they meant." When she said this, Sakura thought of Sasuke, Naruto, and Lee. Looking back, she had been silly to think they could decipher the meaning.

"It's always a pleasant gesture to receive flowers, no matter if you understand what they mean or not," replied Ino, plucking a flower out of a basket she had near the front desk. It was light pink and the size of two fists held close together.

"For example," began Ino, "placing the bloom in Sakura's hand. "If I gave you this, you would be happy to receive it because it is beautiful."

Sakura had nodded in agreement, fingering the lacy petals.

Taking back the flower, Ino had reached up and pulled back Sakura's hair, arranging the flower so that it adorned the left side of her newly fixed bun.

"But in Hanakotoba, this flower means bravery and strength," Ino had said with a smile. "So when you receive this flower it means that the giver thinks highly of you. It means that they admire your bravery and believe in your strength."

Sakura had reached up to touch the flower that matched her hair color, feeling extreme happiness at her friend's words. She had worn the flower for the rest of that night.

Now, as Sakura clutched the bright pink blossom in her hand, tears began to stream down her cheeks. Despite her failure to save Emiko and despite her pathetic display of drunkenness, her dearest friend still believed that she was brave and that she was strong.

…

Sakura turned so that her face was hidden from him.

Sasuke couldn't help but stand up straight when he realized that Sakura was crying. For a second, he didn't know why she was and he instantly regretted being so harsh to her a moment ago. Yes, he was beyond annoyed with the girl who had him running around worried yesterday, who had gotten herself drunk, and was now making him feel completely at a loss for what to do in this situation.

He knew what the former Sasuke would have done. He would have left. He wouldn't have cared if he saw her crying; in fact, he would have thought her weak. Even back in the day, before he let darkness envelope him, Sasuke would have let Naruto deal with this. Naruto would know what to do. Naruto always knew what to say. And to his extreme exasperation, Naruto wasn't here.

She was wiping at her face when Sasuke approached. He didn't touch her. He just stood behind her, listening to her sniffle. Sasuke knew what it was like to suffer by yourself. He knew that Sakura was in pain. Most of the pain she had experienced in her life was because of him so he felt like he needed to make up for all of that now.

Finally, after a few seconds, he forced himself to say, "I'm sorry about the girl."

"Don't be," Sakura said, after a few seconds of silence. "It's my fault. I couldn't be there to save her."

When he didn't say anything, Sakura continued to wipe her eyes and say, "I opened this medical clinic to save children who were suffering from mental trauma. I brought Emiko to Konoha because I thought I could save her. But I failed."

What could he say? He wanted to tell her that it wasn't her fault; that nothing she did could have changed someone's mind once it was set. He knew that for sure. In fact, Sakura had tried to stop him before he had left, but was unable to. But Sasuke sure wasn't going to bring that up. That would only make her cry more. So he didn't say anything.

Sasuke was starting to regret not letting Sakura's friend come inside. Ino would have done a way better job at consoling her than he was currently doing.

Wiping her eyes, Sakura finally turned to face him. Her eyes were red and glassy from crying. Sasuke sure knew that look. He had seen it several times.

"About last night," Sakura said, trying to smile. "I-uh. I'm sorry. About all of it. But can I ask you a question?"

After Sasuke nodded, she asked, "Why did you show up to help me?"

Sasuke knew he couldn't remain silent anymore despite how badly he didn't want to answer. Several answers ran through his head:

Because I was scared something bad had happened to you;

Because I was worried sick when Kakashi left me that morning to find you;

Because I haven't been here for you when you needed me;

Because I'm sorry for everything I've done.

Because I don't want to see you in pain anymore;

But Sasuke couldn't say these things. If Sakura heard these words, he would only be causing her more pain in the long run. He wanted to be here for her now, but he knew that he couldn't be. He had to find and stop Kaguya.

So instead, he pushed down these words and said, "Because Shikamaru came looking for me."

Sakura looked down, and said, "Oh... I'm so embarrassed."

"You should be," he chastised, allowing a small smirk to touch his mouth. "You threw up on me."

Her face turned a bright red and Sasuke crossed his arms in victory.

After a few smug seconds on his part, Sakura deflated his pride when she said, "Now we are even. For the genjutstu, I mean, since it's obvious who did it now."

Sasuke's smirk vanished at her smile. Yeah, he supposed he deserved that.

A knock came from the door and Sasuke instantly frowned, his mood darkening. Walking to the door, Sasuke swore that if it was that loud blond again, he'd tell her she could take her flowers and get the hell-

But it wasn't Ino at the door. It was Kakashi, garbed in white and red. He wore the hat of the hokage and was accompanied by the woman Sasuke knew as Shizune.

Giving Sasuke a knowing smile under his mask, Kakashi raised a hand in greeting. "Didn't expect you to still be here. Care if we come in?"


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note** : Hey guys! Sorry for such a longgggg wait. Between last chapter and this one, I had a crazy professor who assigned me a 70 page Unit Plan assignment. It was literally the _HARDEST_ thing I have ever done. In short, I am thankful for your patience. I will get this story done eventually, I promise. However, starting on January 4th, I will be fulfilling my final internship, so I'm looking at another 4 months of busy. Don't give up on me, though! SasuSaku will always consume my free time.

So here is your long-awaited chapter! As always, let me know what you think. And look out for the next chapter—boy am I excited to write it!

 **P.S**. Reviews and shares always encourage a writer to write _more!_

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Summary** : After 2 years, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. One specific pink-haired individual has perhaps waited for him with far more dedication than anyone else. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village.

 **Chapter 11:** Doing What is Best

Sakura looked down at her feet guiltily when she heard Kakashi's voice from the door. Sasuke had already been hard enough to face, and now here was the man who was to Sakura both sensei and Hokage-not to mention whom Sakura had cussed vividly at and blamed for her own mistakes last night-coming to see her.

"What do you want?" she heard Sasuke spit out rudely as he stood anchored in the doorway, arms crossed and looking as smug as Sakura had ever seen him.

"To see Sakura, of course!" another familiar voice called out cheerfully, and Sakura's eyes grew wide when she recognized Shizune's smiling speech. Pushing past the pissed-off Uchiha, Shizune squeezed between him and the crack in the door rather forcefully. Sometimes, Sakura could see characteristics of Lady Tsunade in the young woman who was also the Sanin's pupil.

As Kakashi made his entrance, Sakura caught the annoyed look Sasuke was giving The Hokage. Kakashi awkwardly rubbed the back of his head before whispering, "She refused to be left behind."

Shizune embraced Sakura immediately.

"Sakura," Shizune said, holding Sakura at arm's length to look her up and down, "I am glad to see you are okay. You certainly had us all worried!"

Sakura tried to look apologetic, but tears sprang forward to her eyes. Shizune looked back at Kakashi worriedly, and in response, the Hokage made his way to them.

Sakura wiped at her eyes and strengthened her resolve and looked up at Kakashi. It was time she owned up to her behavior the night before. "Lord Hokage," she began, placing her hands together and bowing before him.

"None of that," Kakashi stuttered awkwardly, ducking to lift Sakura's chin up so she could meet his eyes. "I will always be Sensei to you."

"Kakashi Sensei, I am extremely sorry for my conduct last night," she continued when he released her chin. "Please forgive me." She faintly recalled throwing glass bottles towards him and inwardly groaned. He was certain to be disappointed in her. Sakura had proven that she had a breaking point, a weakness. Ninja who showed weakness would not survive in this shinobi world.

"We all have bad days," Kakashi began, standing beside her and placing a palm fixedly on her disheveled head. "Just ask Shizune," he added, gesturing in the surprised woman's direction, "She's had her share of drunken episodes too. Tsunade is my witness."

"Kakashi!" Shizune cried out, raising her hands to cover her red face. Sakura smiled and Kakashi grinned back at her under his mask.

"Yes, well," Shizune interjected, grabbing hold of Sakura's arm and taking her hand. "You can say that none of us are perfect. Sometimes we make unwise decisions which lead to more unwise decisions, and so on. What's important is that you are okay and that you know that none of this is your fault."

Sakura nodded her head but didn't reply. She looked down at her feet again. Of all people, she should know what to expect being in the medical core. She had witnessed so many deaths during the Fourth Shinobi World War and here she was making a huge fuss over one child she barely knew. However, this was a suicide that Sakura believed she _could_ have prevented if she had only done her job.

Sakura looked over at Sasuke, who was now leaning against the wall, arms crossed and eyes closed. He had the same scowling look on his face that he always wore, eyebrows angling down to make a sharp "V" and his mouth a hard, pursed line. Perhaps, if Sakura had just forgotten about him-hadn't made such a big fuss about his return, she could have done her job. Maybe this was why she was feeling so guilty.

Sasuke spoke suddenly, his voice a grumble from across the room. " _Why_ are you here?"

All eyes turned to the forgotten ninja, a small silence falling upon them.

"Ah," Kakashi spoke up, walking over to his moody student and placing a hand on his left shoulder. Sasuke glared at him. "Apologies for just showing up unannounced. We didn't interrupt anything did we?"

Sasuke's eyes grew wide at the comment and Sakura waved her hands frantically.

"No, nothing!" she said quickly, which seemed to make the Hokage's smile grow wider. This made Sakura's face turn almost the exact same shade as her hair color. Sakura caught Sasuke's eye and they both looked away hurriedly.

"To answer your question Sasuke," Kakashi said, codeswitching back to his Hokage speech and taking on his authoritative personality. "We came for the both of you. We have some new residents in the village who need your medical attention, Sakura. Think you can help us out?"

Sakura looked over at her sensei who was looking at her expectantly. Shizune offered Sakura a smile of her own and Sakura nodded. It was time she got back to doing what she did best. Sakura caught Sasuke's gaze and she looked away. It was time she put her patients first in all matters, even matters concerning her heart.

. . . . . .

Sasuke had groaned inwardly when Kakashi proposed that they all go to the barracks to provide medical attention to the ninja Sasuke had rescued from the Coliseum. Sasuke had thought he had dodged this very situation the other day, and when he acted as if he were about to leave their group, Kakashi had spoken up, saying, "Why don't you come with us Sasuke? I'm sure we can find something for you to do. After all, you're the reason they are here."

Sasuke had grumbled under his breath, resentful for how many times Kakashi was going to remind him of that fact. This is what he got for helping people: work, responsibility, and more work. Sasuke had gotten used to cleaning up a mess, wiping his hands spotless from it, and avoiding all aftereffects. That was one thing that Sasuke really liked about not being in the village.

"You are?" Sakura had asked, turning to face him.

Sasuke's stomach had pitched as a former concern entered in his mind at her question. This is exactly what he had been trying to avoid yesterday. He didn't want to be there when Sakura was healing the injuries he was directly responsible for. Ever since the Uchiha had entered this village, everything was going exactly how he didn't want it to. Literally everything, and this was another example.

Sasuke hadn't replied and instead Kakashi had spoken up on his behalf, not mentioning this most important detail. He skipped the part where Sasuke had directly attacked these ninja, instead just telling Sakura that he had rescued them. Sakura had looked down at her feet and smiled which made Sasuke feel even more guilty. It was lie, but he couldn't tell her the truth, just when she was starting to think well of him.

At first, Sasuke had thought that the four of them would be working together, but five minutes into their walk, Shizune had departed for the hospital, and Kakashi had merely dropped them off at the door, saying, "I forgot that I had a meeting today. I'm late, so if you will excuse me."

Sasuke had glowered at him as he placed a reassuring hand on each of their arms, saying "I believe in you two," before walking away-rather unhurriedly for someone who was late to a meeting.

Now, Sasuke stood completely useless against a wall, offering no assistance as Sakura kindly tended to the people she was healing. She had seen almost every patient while Sasuke sat back and watched her. It was something that Sasuke had never seen her do before. She wasn't wearing her lab coat, but Sakura possessed a focused demeanor as she conducted check-ups on all the ninja. It was strange to witness her apply knowledge that Sasuke hadn't been there to witness her gain. She had always been smart, smarter than him in almost all areas of knowledge at the academy. But the woman before him wasn't raising her finger to tell her teammates how much she knew, or chastising Naruto for how _little_ he knew. The woman before him, currently stooped over a middle-aged man's back and using her chakra to draw out infection through a deep cut along his shoulder, was the Sakura he had missed out on. This was who Sakura was now, and Sasuke couldn't help but admire her.

A tug on his shirt tore the Uchiha's gaze away from his pink-haired teammate and onto a small child who was looking up at him.

"You Uchiha?" a little girl asked, crossing her arms in a challenge. Sasuke frowned down at her in reply.

"Hatsuko," the man Sakura was healing hissed back at the girl, "Go back to your mother. Leave this man alone."

Hatsuko ignored her father, and matched Sasuke's glare with one of her own. "Hurt my papa again, and you'll have to fight me!" she yelled, punctuating her statement with a raised fist and a stuck-out tongue.

Sasuke hurriedly snuck a glance at Sakura and flinched when her gaze landed on him, whom obviously had not missed the exchange. He glared back at the child, not saying a word.

"Hatsuko!" her father roared, standing up hurriedly to walk in the child's direction. The little fiery juvenile sprinted off in another direction. "This man saved me!" he called after her, just as she slammed the door down the hall from them, "GET BACK HERE AND APOLOGIZE!"

Wincing, the man grabbed his shoulder and Sakura rushed over to lead him back to his chair. "Forgive me," he bowed towards Sasuke. "My daughter is young and doesn't understand what you did for us."

"I'm the one who should be apologizing," the Uchiha said softly, feeling guilty and properly chastised by a little girl. For the first time, he walked over to the man and stood solemnly before him. "Perhaps if I had thought more clearly, I could have found another way to-"

"Don't blame yourself, young man" the ninja interrupted, flinching suddenly as Sakura tightly secured the final knot of his stitches. Clearing his throat, he continued, "There was no other way. What you did for us is something to be proud of. We would all be stuck fighting for our lives in that hellish place if it weren't for you. We are all extremely grateful."

Sasuke glanced over to Sakura. Now that the cut was now clean and freshly stitched, Sakura covered the wound with gauze and wrapped it securely with bandage wrap.

"You're all done," she stated, "I'll be back in ten days to remove the stitches. Make sure to keep the wound clean. Be gentle and apply fresh bandages every night, except for tonight."

"Yes ma'am," he said, standing and bowing graciously to Sasuke's teammate. "I am grateful to you both. Konoha has some very fine ninja. It is thanks to you that I don't have to worry about being separated from my family or sold to another shinobi. You have brought me the peace of freedom, Uchiha Sasuke."

As the man took his leave, he apologized once again for his daughter's behavior.

After he was out of sight, he turned to Sakura who was now cleaning up the stitching kit that was laid out across the counter. She pushed it carefully in a big yellow bag that she had brought along with her. Sakura picked it up and Sasuke closed his eyes when she walked past him out the door. She stopped to wait for him in the hall and he followed her until they were past all the people who stopped them and thanked them.

Once out the door and into the darkness, Sasuke caught up with Sakura and took the bag out of her hand. It was the only polite thing he believed had ever done for anyone probably ever in his life.

"Thank you," she said surprised. A small smile touched her lips but Sasuke was absorbed in silence.

Once they were alone together, walking the dark passageways to her apartment, Sasuke couldn't remain silent anymore and spat out, "I know what you're thinking."

Sakura peeked over at him as they walked, a look of confusion on her face. Almost like she wasn't expecting any kind of explanation from him about anything. "You do?"

"You must think I haven't changed at all," he said, looking away from her.

She reached out and gently took his elbow, stopping them and turning him towards her slightly. He pulled back from her but didn't look away.

"That's not what I think," Sakura whispered to him. "I think you are a hero for saving all of those people."

"But I hurt them, " he said firmly, "I'm still hurting innocent people." She was looking at him softly in response and Sasuke didn't know why, but he was suddenly angry at her for it. Was she still trying to justify his actions in her mind? Why was it so hard for her to hate him?

"You are being too hard on yourself," she offered kindly, touching his elbow again reassuringly. "You've changed. What you did was for the best."

She began walking again, but Sasuke dropped the yellow bag at his feet and quickly grabbed her sleeve, keeping her from moving. "I can't let you walk away thinking good of me. I was angry when I fought them. Angry with Oyashiro En and all the other ninja who had put them there. I had taken them down in the quickest way that I knew how. I fought children-"

"Sasuke," she said seriously, picking her bag off the ground and slipping the handle in the crook of her arm. "Before I ever was a medical ninja, I was your teammate. By healing them, I could recognize you in their injuries from the very beginning, but I was surprised not because I learned that you had done this, but surprised because of how careful you were with them when I know how hard that must have been while facing them all."

Sasuke scowled at her. "That's not an excuse."

Sakura looked up at the sky as a faint light suddenly fell on them, and Sasuke followed her gaze. The moon was peeking out between two dark silvery clouds. He looked back down at her, staring at her as she watched the moon. Her face and hair lit up for a moment and she offered him a small smile in reply. "I'm not someone to offer advice, but sometimes you have to hurt people in order to do what's best for them. It's a part of being a shinobi. I'm sure Itachi would agree. I think he would be proud of you, Sasuke."

Sasuke's eyes grew wide at the mention of his brother's name. Did she mean him? Itachi had sacrificed everything, even his own happiness, in order to protect the village. He had killed their family and abandoned Sasuke. Is this what she meant?

Her voice interrupted his thoughts as she said, "Let's forget the past. Let's learn from our mistakes and grow from them. I'm going to work towards becoming a stronger medic ninja for the village and you can work towards being the best shinobi that you can be. Can we do that together?"

Sasuke held her gaze, scowl remaining fixed on his face. The best shinobi that he could ever be, huh? Sasuke didn't know if that was a possibility, but he would try. He would do what was best for the village and the people he cared deeply about. Sasuke didn't answer her but when Sakura tugged on his sleeve, he followed her.

. . . . . . . .

They spent the rest of the walk in silence. Sakura didn't release Sasuke's sleeve and he didn't pull away. It was a fragile moment, a moment that Sakura was afraid would break if she spoke or breathed too hard. Sasuke's right hand swung at his side, sleeve caught barely in her fingers. Sakura wanted desperately to grab his fingers but she knew that would be crossing the line of whatever they had between them.

Whenever they reached the door, Sakura released Sasuke's sleeve and walked in first, setting down her bag. "I'll make you some tea, if you'd like. Or if you're too tired-"

"Sakura," came Sasuke's emotionless voice from outside the door. Sakura turned and realized that he didn't follow her in and her stomach lurched suddenly. Sakura walked back outside and looked up at him, worry settling heavily in her heart.

"What's wrong?" she asked, trying to reach for his sleeve again. He pulled back this time and instead slowly placed his hand in his cloak and revealed something small. Sasuke held it out to her without looking at her, and Sakura took what she recognized to be the key she had given him. Was he really giving it back to her? Did this mean he really leaving?

"We both know I can't stay here," Sasuke said, looking away from her. "My answer is no."

Sakura stared down at the key in her hand, and realized for the first time that Sasuke was saying goodbye. Sasuke wasn't just saying no to coming in. He was distancing himself. He was telling her _no_. Tears sprung to her eyes as she looked down at the ridiculous key.

"No to what, Sasuke?" she whispered, as he made to turn away from her. Without a care, she walked in front of him, placing a palm on his chest. "No to what?"

"No to everything," he said, finally meeting her eyes, confirming her thoughts.

"I thought that we were growing closer; I thought that we could try-" Sakura said desperately, trying to understand why he would do this. Why couldn't he just let her into his heart? After everything they had been through together, why did he not care for her in the same way that she cared for him?"

"The most we will ever be is friends, Sakura, and that's all," he replied, and Sakura searched his features for any signs that would betray his words but his face remained perfectly stoic and firm. His dark onyx eyes did not waver.

"I've already told you. I can't be the man you want me to be. I have a mission, a duty to protect this village, and so do you. You said it earlier; we can work towards our goals and become better shinobi for our village," Sasuke said plainly, and Sakura felt shocked at how he was using her own words against her.

Tears began to roll down Sakura's cheeks and she wiped furiously at them, begging herself to stop. Be strong, she whispered to her pounding heart. It was a useless plea.

"I love you, Sasuke. I will wait for you. I know that we can make this work if-"

His right hand caught her arm and he pulled her towards him and Sakura froze. Gently, he held her before him, looking down at her and replying, "I want you to stop waiting. I want you to move on with your life. Find someone who can give you the happiness you deserve. That person is never going to be me."

Sasuke released her after a minute, and he turned away from her, showing her his back like he always did. The distance between them grew as he walked away.

Sakura wanted to call out to him. She wanted Sasuke to know that she couldn't stop waiting for him. That there would never be anyone else. But instead, all she managed was to plead through her tears, "Please don't say goodbye. Please don't leave me alone again. You are breaking my heart!"

And then he was in front of her again, so quickly that Sakura had missed it when she blinked. She flinched when Sasuke reached out and placed two heavy fingertips against her forehead. After a second, his fingers moved to support her chin.

"Sometimes you have to hurt people in order to do what's best for them," he whispered in that deep monotoned voiced that only belonged to him. When Sakura opened her eyes, he had disappeared into the surrounding darkness.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:** Hey guys, a shorter chapter this time. I had planned on getting into the real meat of this chapter but decided to split it in two so that I can make it longer without having to interrupt it, if that makes sense. Also, I am starting my internship this Thursday so wish me luck! This also means that you'll have to be patient with me since I will be pretty tied up in school stuff.

To all my reviewers, Thank you guys sooooo much for taking your time to let me know what you guys think about this story. It makes the many days and hours spent writing and planning this story WORTH IT! I love you readers! Also, thanks for the likes and shares! I truly appreciate every one!

 **P.S**. I write to music! In case any of you are curious, this is the song I primarily listened to while writing this chapter: "Prismo- Stronger [NCS Release]"

Also, Happy New Year, friends! Don't let other people criticize you for making resolutions! Prove people wrong :)

 **Chapter 12: Be Bold**

Sasuke squinted when the morning light flickered into view above the tree line, illuminating his face and warming it instantly. Summer was definitely on its way now that May was just around the corner. It made nights spent in the forest like last night bearable.

This morning made the twelfth day that Sasuke was in Konoha. To Sasuke, that was twelve days that he had not been searching for any signs of the Otsusuki clan. Last night, when he had seen the moon peek through the clouds, Sasuke's stomach had twisted. As he watched Sakura admire it, he couldn't help but despise it for what it reminded him of. Every day and every second that Sasuke wasted in this village, he felt like he was putting the village at risk.

According to Chino, when the White Zetsu army had passed under the Valley of Hell-the remote canyon located in the Land of Hot Water where Chino's clan had one resided-she had been able to indirectly read their minds, coming up with her own idea of the human bombs after having witnessed this. After Sasuke had defeated her, Chino had told him something else that had frightened Sasuke. The White Zetsu army had been expecting a threat greater than the Allied Shinobi Forces. This almost confirmed Sasuke's theory, the theory that perhaps Kaguya had created the White Zetsu Army to fight a force more powerful than herself. Sasuke was convinced that more of her kind was out there and they would be coming here.

This is the information that he desperately needed to tell Naruto. Sasuke had to put Naruto on his guard without affecting the peace that currently existed between shinobi nations. And here Sasuke was, waiting rather impatiently on the ninja who could rival Sasuke's strength. Only together could they hope to defeat this threat.

Perhaps if Sakura knew about all of this, she would be able to understand why Sasuke had to leave immediately. Sasuke had listened as she had confessed her love for him again last night. He had denied her. . . again.

Sasuke was convinced that if he pushed and pushed and pushed Sakura away from him, she would eventually move on. He would force her to believe that there was nothing between them, spare her an eternity of disappointment, and do so by not returning any of her feelings. Did Sasuke even have any feelings for her? He most certainly couldn't _deny_ that he did; she was the only woman that he could _possibly_ have any feelings for. What was the difference between caring for someone and loving someone? Sasuke wasn't sure. All he knew was that it was difficult to walk away last night; it was hard to resist crossing that threshold and spending one more night in a safe place with someone he cared for; it required the better half of him to tell her that she needed to stop waiting for him and find some other man to love. Did this mean that he _did_ love her?

Sasuke held his head in his hand, a headache forming in his temples from the rough night's sleep. He silently cursed Naruto for taking his sweet time to return. Sasuke definitely wouldn't have slipped this far if Naruto had been here when he arrived. Sasuke needed him to return so he could do what he knew was the _right_ thing. A family of his own was something that Sasuke had dreamed for at one point in his life, and before he had left the village, he had admitted to himself that he cared deeply for his pink-haired teammate. Now, despite all that he had been through, Sasuke had taken on his brother's legacy, a purpose that was more important than any dreams of a happy life filled with friends and possibly love. His friends deserved that dream, and Sasuke had to protect that future.

It was with this train of thought, that Sasuke jumped down from the tree that he had been sleeping in and made his way towards a small stream nearby. When Sasuke arrived, he speared one of the many fish teeming about the water's edge. Then, Sasuke summoned his hawk and watched as the bird flew into the air, spiraling and diving back down to land on its master's arm. Sasuke reached out and offered the small fish to the winged fowl who gulped it down appreciatively. Sasuke reached into his hip pouch and pulled out a small note that he had composed last night, securing it to the hawk. Jumping back into the air, the bird flew off into the sunlight.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sakura picked herself up the following morning and made her way to the hospital. When she arrived, Sakura's assistant, Kirai, had made her way over to Sakura and bowed low before her, apologizing for her mistake in regards to the mental health ward. Sakura had helped her pupil off the ground and hugged her, telling Kirai that she was proud of her for trying to take charge in her absence and telling her that they would work harder together to ensure a better future for the hospital.

Sakura began by seeing all of her mental health patients, young children who had been negatively affected by the war. She visited each and every one of them, counseling them and doing medical checkups on them. Several children from the Coliseum were also newly admitted into the mental health clinic, all of whom Sakura was glad to see didn't suffer from any Sasuke-inflicted injuries. It made forgetting him today a little easier.

One little boy was passed to Sakura from an elderly member of her staff named Miho whom Sakura had hired at the start of the clinic. He clung to Sakura's hip throughout the rest of her checkups, playing with her hair and crying every time Sakura placed him on the ground. It was hard for Sakura to release the child back into Miho's care, but Miho had whispered to him that she would take him to visit the koi in the small pond just outside the hospital, a promise to which the little boy skipped off merrily to.

After seeing all of the children, Sakura attended to every single one of her burn patients. She surveyed the healing process and was impressed with how well the mixture had repaired their burnt skin with minimal scarring. Even the patients who had allergic reaction were doing well despite the entire ordeal. They even agreed to let Sakura try an altered version of the substance on their remaining burns, which Sakura had been able to develop by analyzing the patients and finding alternative ingredients to accommodate for their sensitivities. These burns began to heal very quickly and Sakura was able to reserve her chakra supply for other patients.

Sakura grinned when the red haired man named Haru Mizuno had walked in, flashing her his Naruto-like smile.

"I can't wait to get this off so I can go back to the sauna!" he told her, sitting down on the exam table, holding out his green arm. As Sakura removed the herbal coating, revealing new skin with every peel, the young ninja made joke after joke in an attempt to make her laugh. He kept on insisting that he wanted to prove to her that he had a sense of humor.

Despite her mind being filled with thoughts of Sasuke, Haru reminded her so much of Naruto that she found herself missing her obnoxious friend. Sakura also felt relieved just to laugh. It was like breaking the surface of water and taking a big gulp of fresh air after being under for so long. Her smiling only encouraged Haru and he continued to try to make her laugh.

"I'm very grateful," he said to her after she washed away the last of the herbs from his arm.

Sakura expressed her appreciation for his kind words and walked him out of the room. Haru began to walk away only to turn quickly on his heel and offer Sakura a nervous grin as he walked back up to her.

"Before I go," he said shyly, rubbing the back of his neck quickly, "I just want you to know that I think you are really great. And-uh-I'd like to do something for you-you know to pay you back for everything that you've done for me."

Sakura stared up at him in silent surprise and he quickly added, "It doesn't have to be a date-well, unless you'd like it to be-uh, I mean, I would like it to be.."

He stopped and looked away. Because of his confidence throughout the whole exam, Sakura would not have expected for him to be so bashful now. It took Sakura a second to realize that he was actually asking her out on a date. Sakura's face turned red and she simply said, "Oh."

"I mean," Haru interjected, rubbing a large hand through his red hair. "Only if you want to. . ."

"I, um," Sakura began, trying to find the right words to say. She remembered another time where she found herself in a similar situation. A man whom Sakura had healed during the Fourth Shinobi World War had written her a letter and confessed his love for her. She had told him no, much like Sasuke had told her no last night. It was sad really, that Sakura denied others for Sasuke who in return denied her.

 _Find someone who can give you the happiness you deserve._

Sakura replayed Sasuke's words in her mind, hating every syllable of that sentence. Is that really what he wanted? Sasuke claimed that he wanted her to move on and here was a man who was offering her that start. What if she said yes? Would Sasuke be satisfied then?

Sighing in defeat, Sakura replied, "I'm sorry, but I actually have someone already who I care deeply for. . ."

It was almost embarrassing how easily and genuinely Sakura admitted it.

"Oh," Haru muttered quickly, offering an apologetic smile and closing his eyes. "That's unfortunate-I mean for me that is. Well, anyway, just- thank you for everything. I wish you the best happiness, with whoever he is."

 _Thank you for everything._

Sakura's heart skipped at those familiar words, but frowned because it wasn't Sasuke who had said them. She was hopeless. Sakura was foolish if she believed there would _ever_ be anyone else.

"Thank you," she said quietly, offering her own small, awkward apology. "I wish you the best happiness as well. I'll be seeing you."

"Off to the sauna, I go," he said, walking away with fabricated relaxation, crossing his arms behind his head and taking exaggerated steps while whistling. The behavior was so like Naruto that she couldn't help but smile sadly.

Unlike Naruto, Sakura didn't know how to get through to Sasuke. She had never been able to. Naruto, on the other hand, had a way of making Sasuke understand things; he always knew what to say to him. Maybe she should be more like Naruto. So what would Naruto do? How would _he_ make Sasuke understand?

And then Sakura's shift was over and she helped the rest of the staff settle things for the evening. Afterwards, Sakura found herself walking decidedly toward the Uchiha compound. Be bold, she told herself. Be bold.

…

Sasuke stood on the small boardwalk where he had learned how to do the fireball jutsu from his father, staring down into the water of the river that it connected to. Memories returned to the Uchiha. He pushed the painful memories of sitting all alone at the edge of this very dock after his clan's death, thoughts of bitter vengeance running through is mind. Instead, Sasuke recalled the many night he had spent here practicing the fireball jutsu, focusing on the memory of his father saying, "That's my boy."

What would his father say to Sasuke now? Would he look at him with thoughts filled with Itachi? Would he be disappointed of everything that Sasuke had done? Would he be proud of him? Sasuke wasn't sure.

Now, as he stared into the orange tinted water, it seemed as if the entire lake was on fire. Sasuke stared out at the bright circular sun that dipped low in the sky, lowering behind the trees of the forest on the other side of the water. Sasuke felt the urge to try the beat the sun's heat. Arching his back and leaning his head back, Sasuke quickly made the stream of familiar hand signs, completing them with tiger, and filled his lungs with the air around him until he couldn't inhale anymore. Then, with everything he had, he exhaled a firey ball that blocked his view of the sun. The water spilt, recoiling and twisting away from the fire that he breathed and Sasuke couldn't help but feel a sense of pride as the blazing orb expanded to cover the entire surface of the water, almost reaching the bank on the other side.

After a few seconds, Sasuke straightened and watched as the spherical inferno dispersed into small embers that hovered in the air before him. Steam from the water rose up to catch them and they went out. The evening sun was still burning, a fire larger than any Sasuke could ever hope to execute. He smiled in defeat. Damn sun.

Suddenly, Sasuke felt the boardwalk shift slightly and he looked over his shoulder at the person who had just walked out onto it. It was Sakura. She wasn't looking at him, and Sasuke noticed that she was wearing her lab coat. She must have just gotten off work. Why on earth was she here?

Sasuke made an audible sigh of annoyance and turned to look back at the water. This was the last thing he wanted right now. He had only just gotten her out of his mind and now she was here. It annoyed the Uchiha to no end. What did he have to do to make her understand him?

"What do you want, Sakura?" he spat out harshly. " Here to confess your love, again?" He made sure to make the comment sting. It was time for this to end.

"Yes," she said with steady conviction, and Sasuke frowned immediately. "And I'm not going to stop. I'm going to tell you however many times it takes."

Sasuke spun with a growl, but it was replaced with an expression of wide-eyed surprise when he stood facing a large tree that was propelling swiftly towards him. It was so unexpected that it was nearly to him before he could react. He immediately dropped to his palms, scarcely evading the massive trunk as it passed over his back. In push-up position, Sasuke immediately looked under his right armpit to see the tree land out in the rivet behind him, causing a tsunami of water to rise up on all sides of it as it sank. The water swelled beneath the boardwalk and curled around its edges, splashing and soaking the bent down Uchiha.

Snapping his head back to Sakura, he stared at her in exasperated disbelief. She had just thrown a tree at him!

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!" he yelled at her, rising to his feet and glaring at her. "Why did you just do that?!"

Sakura smirked and Sasuke watched as she slid off her lab coat and pulled down her hair. Reaching into her hip pouch, Sakura pulled out two black leather gloves. Sasuke raised a watchful eyebrow as she pulled them on tightly, tugging down on the glove of her right hand firmly which was raised to make a fist.

"Because apparently the only way to make you listen, is to fight you," she replied with a grin, walking down the boardwalk towards him. "Maybe if I beat you within an inch of your life, like Naruto did, then I will get through to you."


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note:** This chapter came a little earlier than expected. It was my dog's birthday today and his favorite thing to do in the world is to sit in my lap _all_ day. So what did I do? Well, you can thank him for the chapter.

 **P.S**. Thanks to all my reviewers, likers, and sharers. I LOVE YOU GUYS. My dog loves you too, because the more feedback I get, the more encouraged I am to write, which of course, means more lap time for him. So you have both of our thanks. As always, let me know what you think!

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Chapter 13: Not Giving Up**

Sasuke ran his fingers through his now wet hair that was hanging down from the weight of the river water. He stared at his pink-haired teammate in astonishment as she walked towards him, hands fisted at her sides as she came down the boardwalk.

"This is ridiculous," he spat at her quickly, not sure of what he was supposed to do in this situation. Sasuke would be the first to admit that he rather enjoyed sparring and would love for the opportunity to battle with Naruto again, or even Kakashi. But Sakura? The last time he had gone toe to toe with her, they had both meant to kill each other. That was the only time that he had challenged her and he regretted it every time he looked into her face. Sasuke didn't like the idea of going up against her at all, simply because it went against every instinct in his body. Sakura was someone that he had once, and now again, considered very dear to him. Before Sasuke had deserted the village, he had always been there to _protect_ Sakura, not fight her!

"I'm not going to fight you," he said rigidly as she got closer and closer. Then he saw her right fist begin to glow and she started to run at him, gaining momentum with each step.

"You don't really have a choice!" she yelled, pulling back her fist, and aiming for his face.

Sasuke's eyes grew wide when she didn't pull her punch. He instantly jumped into the air, barely dodging her blow. He watched from above as Sakura's weight carried her out onto the water. The kunoichi instantly spun on the lake's orange surface, reaching into her weapon's pouch, and throwing shuriken up into the air towards him.

To Sasuke's surprise, these were also true to their mark and Sasuke had barely managed to spin in the air fast enough to avoid the first two, but one got close enough to deeply cut the top of his left shoulder. Sasuke winced and landed to his feet on the water next to her, channeling chakra instinctively to the soles of his feet.

Angry now, he grabbed her wrist and tried to pin her arm behind her back, much like he had done to her a few nights ago in her office. However, she was less compliant this time, soaked with slippery water, and with one less arm to secure his hold, he couldn't maintain a grip as she spun out of it.

Sakura grabbed down hard onto his forearm and Sasuke cussed internally at the sheer strength of her hold.

He managed to catch one small smirk from his teammate before she had both hands on his arm, and was swinging him up and out into the air before her. Sasuke collided not too graciously with the water and he skipped across it like a rock. He sent chakra to his palms and grabbed onto the waves that rose up around him. Sasuke managed to stop his momentum and he spun on his palms, pushing against the water's rocky surface and landing back down on his feet.

That was it. He was thoroughly pissed now. Rising to stand fully, he activated his Sharingan and sent his teammate a heated red and purple glare.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sakura crossed her arms in triumphant satisfaction at Sasuke's leveled stare. She tried not to waver at the crimson and violet eyes that fell upon her. Instead, she looked down at Sasuke's feet, like she often did when sparring against Kakashi. The Sharingan wasn't something Sakura was fearless of, being as it was one of the most powerful kekkei genkai that was renowned throughout the shinobi world as one of the "Three Great Dojutsu." His other eye was also classified as such and it terrified Sakura even more, simply because she had witnessed the power of the Rinnegan through the Akatsuki's many demonstrations. And then there was Madara. How she would battle that type of powers, she wasn't sure. On the other hand, Sakura was proud of herself for being able to incite this type of reaction out of Sasuke. This is exactly what she wanted.

"Glad to know you're taking me seriously now," she taunted.

Suddenly, his feet moved, and Sakura jumped back as he lunged towards her. Dammit. He was a lot quicker than she expected and he caught hold of her waist and threw her down into the water, the both of them now submerging into the lake's murky depths.

Sakura reached forward, then sent her elbow back into his side. Even underwater, Sakura's strength was immense and the Uchiha grunted when she made contact with his ribs. He released her and she made a break for the water's surface. She inhaled sharply when she emerged. Kneeling on the water's surface, she looked down to find Sasuke. But when she looked up, he was already before her, standing above her and looking down at her.

Before she could react, Sasuke had a hold of her arm and he pulled her up to look at him. She closed her eyes when she met his, hoping it wasn't too late. Sakura had her defenses up. If he caught her in a genjutsu, she was certain that she would know. His grip was unyielding as she tried to pull away from him.

"Enough of this!" he hissed at her. "What are you going to accomplish by this?"

Sakura stopped struggling long enough to answer him. She opened her eyes and glared at his chest when she answered, "I'm going to make you understand."

Then, to punctuate her statement, she headbutted him. Hard. Neither of them were wearing their forehead protectors, so the impact of their skulls was brutal. After a dazed second, Sasuke bounced back from the hit, and Sakura had already pulled back her fist to strike him. She missed, aimed again with her other fist, and watched as her fist slid past Sasuke's cheek as he dodged again. Sakura continued to take shots at him, each unsuccessful as the Uchiha backed and ducked away from her. Blasted Sharingan. She would be lucky if she even managed to graze him.

Sasuke remained solely on the defensive the entire time Sakura drove him back towards the forest on the other side of the lake. He eluded every punch and kick she threw at him, but never tried to strike her back. His sword still hung limply at his side and his fingers didn't even twitch to make a hand sign. This infuriated Sakura. Sasuke was barely exerting himself. She had managed to piss him off just enough to engage in combat with him but she would have to take it to the next step before he would fight her with any real intent.

She continued to swing, jabbing faster and faster, using every spiraling kick and punch she had in her book. And of course, Sasuke was still managing to evade her every move. She was hoping that if she continued to apply the pressure thick enough, he would eventually have to strike back.

This reminded her of her fight with Kido. Sakura had repeatedly hit the man who had kidnapped her in an attempt to draw Sasuke back to the village in order to steal the Sharingan. During her battle with him, he had taunted her about Sasuke as she tried to land a solid blow against the unwavering tailed-beat chakra that he wore as a cloak. "No matter how many times you try, the result is always the same," he had told her as her punches made no damage in his defenses. At the time, he had been referring to her attacks, but Sakura couldn't help but think of his remarks in relation to her unrewarded feelings for Sasuke. She had told him countless times how much she loved him and not once had he reciprocated her feelings. She had been victorious in her fight with Kido and had convinced herself that like with that fight, she wouldn't give up on her feelings for Sasuke.

It didn't matter how many times she was going to have to tell him, she loved him. She loved him with everything that was in her. Sakura wasn't simply going to tell him that anymore. She was going to make him understand once and for all, even if that meant having to pulverize him.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Even with his Sharingan, Sasuke was barely managing to avoid any of Sakura's ferocious blows. He knew that the instant she managed to land a hit, he would be done for. Sakura had already cracked a few of his ribs and with each turn his body made, pain exploded in his side. Not to mention, that she had almost knocked him unconscious with that headbutt. Sasuke gritted his teeth at the pain in his side and head and contemplated how to stop her merciless stream of blows without hurting her.

He couldn't bring himself to throw any hits back, or use his ninjutsu against her. If she would only look into his eyes, he might be able to place a genjutsu on her, but she was being tactful by completely avoiding them, predicting his attack solely from the movement of his feet. She could have only learned this from Kakashi. He was impressed at how successfully she was managing to pull this off.

Sakura was skillfully pushing him back and he raised his arms against her blows. He learned pretty quickly that even this was risky, considering her superior strength. Any contact at all sent vibrations through his bones, so Sasuke tried to avoid her reaches altogether.

His foot touched solid ground finally, cueing Sasuke that they had reached the bank on the other side of the river. Just as he backed into the woods, he managed to slip behind a tree just in time for her next blow. Of course, the tree splintered and broke under her chakra-infused punch. The collapsing tree reminded Sasuke why it was important to not slip up even once. The moment he did, it would be over.

He bounded into the treetops and Sakura scanned the ground around her. She had momentarily lost sight of him when she had bounded away from the tree. It didn't take her long to find him, because she caught his eyes. This time, she didn't look away. Just as he was about to place her in a genjutsu, she spoke.

"Fight back!" she yelled up at him, her voice filled with anger.

Sasuke saw the emotion in her green eyes. It took his pounding head and throbbing side to remind him that he was thoroughly annoyed with her.

"I can't." he growled down at her.

She suddenly kicked the tree he was standing in and Sasuke had to jump to the next one to avoid crumbling down with it. At this rate, she was going to destroy the entire forest.

She was no longer making eye contact with him, and Sasuke grunted. He had missed his opportunity and he wasn't going to be able to use the Sharingan on her as long as she avoided his gaze. He was going to have to make her look at him.

Sasuke suddenly reached into his weapon pouch and crouched. He waited until she appeared in the tree beside him and then he sent rigged shuriken into the air around her. Sakura looked around in surprise as Sasuke yanked back on the wire strings that were attached to the shuriken that made full circles around her. He pulled again forcefully, and the wires tightened around her body, jerking her back against the tree. Successfully tying her to the tree, he watched for a few seconds as Sakura struggled to free herself.

Sasuke made his way towards her and crouched in front of her. "You need to stop this and listen to me."

She looked away from him, still avoiding his eyes. "Let me go."

"Not until you've calmed down," he stated firmly.

A smirk touched her features and Sasuke instantly frowned. "Calm down? I'm just getting _fired_ up."

"Sakuraaa," he warned. But before he could tell her how ridiculous she was being, an explosion erupted from somewhere behind him. Sasuke turned instantly and watched as a trail of paper bombs began to ignite. One by one, they were detonating closer and closer to where they were. He spotted the last one just a couple of feet away from him. _When had she-!?_

Releasing the wire that kept them both attached to the tree, Sasuke grabbed Sakura with his one arm and dove out of the tree just seconds before it exploded into a million pieces.

"YOU'RE CRAZY!" he yelled as he tried to keep a firm hold on her in the air. It was difficult considering the wood and fire that was hailing on the them now. She managed to raise her knee between her stomach and Sasuke's chest. Sasuke tried to tighten his grip but her foot came next and she kicked away from him. They both successfully landed on their feet next to each other.

A shadow covered them and Sasuke looked up to see the tree top crashing its way down on them. It fell quickly and Sasuke reacted on instinct. Summoning his chakra, he formed his hand signs and yanked out his katana. He ran his chidori down the blade and sliced through the air. The tree spilt and collapsed on either side of them.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sakura had gawked as Sasuke's split the tree with his chidori. Now, the tree top created walls around them and Sasuke turned and glared at her with those powerful eyes. In that moment, he was seriously a fearsome sight to behold and it made Sakura rethink her entire plan. How far was she willing to go to piss him off?

"You're taking this _way_ too far," he growled seriously, taking a step towards her.

"I have to make you understand," she said as he took another step. "It's the only way."

"Understand _what_ , Sakura?!" he asked heatedly, taking yet another step.

"Understand how much I love you!" she yelled, sending her chakra fist in the ground between them. She heard Sasuke curse as the ground rose beneath him. Bounding back from the split tree and collapsing floor, Sakura lost eyesight of the Uchiha in the rubble. The landscape was now a disaster, and it had all been her. Sasuke had yet to send an attack her way.

And then she heard him, in the shadows of the trees behind her _. How the hell did he manage to pop up out of nowhere?!_ He was running very quickly towards her, a shadow in the shadows.

Sasuke lunged for her and she turned and ran. Grabbing hold of a low branch, Sakura swung up into another tree, bounding from limb to limb until she had reached her maximum speed. Sasuke was right behind her, keeping up with her. She could practically feel his fingers grazing her back as he reached out to grab her.

And then suddenly, he was stepping out of a swirling vortex just in front of her. He had suddenly appeared there. Of course! He was teleporting. That explained how he was appearing from nowhere. Was this the power of the Rinnegan?

Sakura had bounded from the last limb a little too early. She reached back her arm, letting her thrust carry her through the air towards him.

"Shannaro!" she yelled as her fist connected with his side. A loud crack resounded in the air and Sakura smiled. After a second however, Sakura realized that it wasn't Sasuke that she had hit. Instead, her fist had connected with the purple rib cage of Sasuke's partially formed Susanoo. The skeletal chakra arm reached out and snatched her, picking her up off the ground. Sakura tried to break free but the grip was too strong and she stopped trying altogether when she met Sasuke's fiery eyes.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I refuse to stay in this village and play at love with you. Fighting me isn't going to change my mind. Find. Someone. Else."

Sakura resisted the tears that sprung to her eyes. There were those words again. Those heartbreaking words that made Sakura want to cry.

" _Playing_ at love?!" she yelled. "Do you think that's what I am doing?"

Sasuke didn't respond but he didn't release her either.

"You want me to move on?" she yelled again. "Is that what you really want me to do, Sasuke?"

Again, no response.

"You want me to fall in love with someone else? Do you want me to 'play at love _'_ with Lee, or Kiba, or Shino, or some other random person you don't even know?"

Sasuke frowned at her. He narrowed his eyes at her words. "Yes," he finally replied, looking away from her.

Sakura glared down at him.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sasuke poured more chakra into his Susanoo as Sakura pushed against his avatar's fingers. Damn woman and her ridiculous inhuman strength. When would she give up?

"Get it through your head," she said through her teeth as she flexed her arms out. "There's never going to _be_ anyone else."

His Susanoo arm brought her closer to him and this time Sakura looked at him squarely in the eyes despite his Sharingan and Rinnegan eyes. He matched her scowl. The both of them were so stubborn. He was angry with Sakura. Angry that she had caused him to exhaust his visual prowress. Angry about the pain in his forehead and side. Angry that she had brought this bothersome subject up. . . again.

Sasuke couldn't admit to Sakura that it bothered him to imagine her with someone else. There was a part of him that longed for a family of his own. Sasuke had been beating back this part of himself ever since he set his feet in this damn village. Maybe it _had_ taken this fight to make Sasuke realize that his feelings for Sakura ran deeper than he had thought. How else could he explain why he had absolutely zero desire to fight her back, or the way his vision had gone slightly red when she mentioned Lee's, Kiba's, and Shino's names so easily in reference.

Did Sasuke _love_ Sakura? Maybe he did.

But how much? It would be selfish of him to accept her feelings. It would be cruel of him to take what she so freely offered and then leave her behind. If he loved her, he wouldn't do that. Right?

Slowly, he placed her gently back down until she was on her two feet again. "Enough. No more fighting," he pleaded as the Susanoo disappeared into the air around them.

"Tell me that you understand first," she said undecidedly. It seemed she wasn't sure whether or not their fight should end.

"Understand what, other than that you're not going to stop ringing my ears with your nonsense?"

Sasuke sat down on the branch that currently supported them, leaning his back against the tree and clutching his side.

Sakura strode over towards him. Crouching beside him, she reached for his shirt and Sasuke tried not to pull away when she lifted it. He winced when her fingers grazed his cracked ribs. He cursed under his breath when he saw the explosion of purple that was forming under his skin and then exhaled when Sakura's palm began to glow green. It was impressive that she had any chakra left to spare.

"Did you really have to do that?" he groaned as she slowly mended the bone. "That was uncalled for."

"Let's just say you're lucky that I hit you underwater . . with an elbow," she replied and Sasuke glared at her devious grin.

"If you think that pummeling me is going to change my mind about leaving-" he began, but was cut off as she looked up into his eyes. Sasuke leaned his head forward so that his hair hung over his Rinnegan eye. His other eye, turned back to onyx.

"I don't expect you to _stay_ here and 'play at love,'" she said softly. Sasuke looked away.

"All I would need to know is that you love me back," she continued gently. "We don't have to be together to love each other, Sasuke." Their eyes met at that statement, but Sasuke broke and looked down at her glowing palm instead.

"That's a miserable life, don't you think?" he grunted. A pain went through his side and he winced. It was hard enough for the Uchiha to even talk about things like this, not to mention that she had her bare hand against his side while he spoke.

She finished and carefully pulled down his shirt. Then, she moved to his cut arm and her fingers began to glow again. "You can decide that you don't love me. You can decide to leave this village and never return my feelings. But you're not going to walk away thinking that if you do, I'll move on. Is that clear?"

"Hn," he grunted again.

"Good, I'm glad you get it now." She offered him a small smile before turning her attention back to his arm.

"You didn't have to break my ribs to tell me that," he glared at her.

After the wound was healed, she placed her palms on her hips.

"Well you _are_ kind of stubborn," she said.

"And you're annoying."


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:** Hey guys, sorry it has taken me so long to update. I have had some crazy things happen to me in the past couple months, not to mention my time-consuming internship. To make up for it, I posted an extra-long chapter. As always, let me know what you think. I patiently wait for your feedback.

 **P.S.** : I added a little bit of Kakashi's perspective as a bonus. You're welcome.

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Chapter 14: Reunion Over Ramen**

Sasuke watched as Sakura finished healing the long cut on his shoulder. The glow around her fingers subsided and as she lifted her hand, Sasuke instantly noticed that the cut had completely vanished, not even a faint scar left behind. Along with the wound, the pain vanished as well. He tried hard not to move away when she reached for his blackening temple and left eye. Her headbutt had nearly knocked him unconscious, and Sasuke couldn't imagine how he must look after such a blow. Sakura's own forehead was quickly darkening and Sasuke frowned at the bruise. Damn woman and her reckless strength and large forehead.

Sasuke's eyes widened when Sakura reached out and tenderly brushed his bangs away from his left eye. For some reason, it unnerved Sasuke for her to see his Rinnegan, and he suddenly wished the swelling was much worse so it would completely cover it. If Sakura sensed his unease, she didn't let on and instead cupped his chin firm with her other palm.

"Sorry about that," she commented quietly. "The good news is that your skin and Rinnegan match now."

Saskue just scowled at her. "Hn," he deadpanned. She thought she was so clever.

But before the relief of her glowing green fingers could brush against his rapidly swelling goose egg, Sakura suddenly swung around at the sound of someone landing on the branch beside them. On instinct, Sasuke stood immediately and placed himself between Sakura and the three ninja that had just joined them, reaching for the katana at his waist.

Sasuke relaxed when he recognized the familiar porcelain animal faces belonging to the Hidden Leaf's Anbu.

"What do you want?" he spat towards their lofty location.

The ninja exchanged glances before each taking on displeased positions, crossing their arms over their chests.

Sakura moved ahead of him then and quickly asked, "Is there something wrong?" As if she didn't know the answer to that question already.

One of the Anbu, a petite kunoichi with a fox mask, gestured to their surroundings with the wave of her arm. "We were sent here to investigate the disturbance occurring in this area, but we didn't expect the source of such a problem to come from the Hokage's very own students."

The taller, lanky Anbu spoke next, pointing at Sasuke's position on the opposite branch. Sasuke glared at him when he said, " _Him_ maybe. But not you, Haruno-san."

Sakura just rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Ha ha. Well you see-"

She was promptly interrupted by the third Anbu, who swiftly pulled a kunai from his weapon's pouch and aimed it at Sasuke.

Sasuke's skin prickled and he sneered at the man, who was now walking towards them. The Uchiha's hand itched for his sword again. This bastard. Did he really think that he could possibly take him on? Anbu or not, Sasuke would not let this ninja near either of them.

"No-no!" Sakura exclaimed, waving her hands back and forth, "Just some training."

Sasuke scoffed and stood up straighter. Training, his ass. Like anyone would believe that after looking at the destroyed wasteland around them.

One of the Anbu-the tall one-let out a laugh. "Looks like you were the winner, Sakura." Sasuke frowned. Or maybe they were gullible after all.

Sakura giggled and Sasuke shot her a look of annoyance when she said, "You guessed right!"

"We'll report to the Hokage what we have found here," the female Anbu said formally, unwavering from her serious persona. She disappeared then, the tall Anbu following her cue and vanishing as well.

The third Anbu remained, the one who had directed his kunai in Sasuke's direction. The ninja had bright orange hair that reminded the Uchiha of Jugo. Burn scars covered his exposed right arm, and Sasuke's stomach knotted when he realized why the young man had been suspicious of him. This ninja must be one of Chino's burn victims that Sakura had mentioned. Although Sasuke wasn't directly responsible for this man's injury, Sasuke couldn't help but feel guilty.

The young man was watching the both of them intently, and Sasuke noticed how Sakura was focusing her gaze slightly away from him. Why was that? For some reason, the behavior bothered him.

"There's something else you might like to know, Haruno-san," the man finally spoke softly. Sakura raised her eyes to him and Sasuke's glower vanished when he heard the ninja's next words. "Uzumaki Naruto has returned to the village. He's looking for you."

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Kakashi tried not to roll his eyes at the blonde ninja who was furiously "suggesting" that Kakashi treat the three of his former students to Ramen at Ichiraku. Ever since Naruto had returned with the rest of his Kumogakure-bound caravan, Kakashi had had zero silence. It had been 15 minutes of non-stop questions about Sasuke. When had he returned? Why now? Why hadn't Naruto been told about this while he was away? Where was Sakura? How come _she_ didn't try to contact him? Finally, to get the kid to relent, Kakashi mentioned ramen in an attempt to detour his thinking. Now, Kakashi found that he was being driven mad over a new topic. Ramen, ramen, ramen. It would never end.

"It will be like old times!" the ninja elbowed him for the fourth time. "I can't remember the last time we all ate together."

This is one of the many times that Kakashi was appreciative for the mask concealing his face. Naruto would have little idea how big of a frown he was shooting him. Ever since Kakashi had become Hokage, it seemed that everyone believed for some reason that he was loaded or entitled to whatever he wanted as if nothing had a price where the Hokage was concerned. When, in fact, neither was the case. Every time someone ran into him, it was "Oh it's the Hokage! He wouldn't mind treating us!" This was especially true concerning Guy, Naruto, and believe it or not, Choji. Sometimes, Shikamaru was a part of this freeloading gang. This was just one of the many downsides of being Hokage. Kakashi couldn't wait for retirement. He was getting to old for all of this stuff.

After a few seconds, Kakashi relented against Naruto's pleading and sighed.

"All right," he finally agreed, reaching the bar that announced ラーメン一楽 across the hanging tapestries. "But only just this once since it's a special occasion."

Naruto guffawed and marched into the ramen bar. Kakashi couldn't hold back the smile that came so readily to his lips. The Rokudaime was also looking forward to this moment. It had been too long since he had rendezvoused with the former members of Team 7. Well, the last time since they weren't trying to all kill each other, that is.

And _just_ as Kakashi had that thought, a silent Anbu with orange hair appeared beside him. It was one of the trio from the team he had sent to deal with a situation that had been reported on the outskirts of the village.

"What did you find?" he asked the young man quietly so Naruto couldn't hear him above his loud conversation with Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku.

"Your students, actually."

Kakashi's eyes grew wide. "What?"

The Anbu nodded once and continued, "They claim they were training, but it seems like they were trying to kill each other. They should be here any minute."

Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. After a few seconds, he said, "Thank you. You're dismissed," and the Anbu vanished into the air.

Kill each other? Kakashi had never expected such a thing to happen between those two. When he had gotten the dispatch that there were earth tremors coming from the Uchiha district, he had crossed his fingers and sent a squad of Anbu out to investigate. Without a doubt, his first suspicion was of Sasuke, but as he contemplated, Kakashi just didn't understand why the Uchiha would be causing such havoc. He was more likely to believe some random ninja with anti-Uchiha philosophies was suddenly making an attack on the land. But now, it seemed his previous assumption was closer to the mark. Kakashi wasn't sure what role Sakura had to play in this, but from the report, it seemed she was the one responsible for most of the devastation. Why would they want to kill one another? Surely, it wasn't as serious as it seemed.

Only a few seconds later did Kakashi notice the two familiar figures of his students making their way down the main street. They caught sight of him immediately and made their slow way towards him. When they stopped a few feet in front of him, Kakashi crossed his arms at the sight of their disheveled outlines and bruised faces. Sakura's forehead was darkening, but it was nothing compared to the explosion of color that was blooming across Sasuke's left temple and eye. He had a large knot that was growing bigger by the second. It was a small injury considering the many Sasuke Uchiha had probably had in his lifetime, but it still looked murderous.

Sakura was grinning guiltily at him, blushing and looking appropriately sorry. Sasuke stood without any shame whatsoever, looking at Kakashi with little interest.

Kakashi scowled at the two of them, hoping his mask wouldn't conceal too much of what he was hoping to communicate. "You two have some explaining to do."

Sakura started to speak but was instantly cut off when Naruto bounded back out of the ramen shop. "Sakura-chan!" he yelled, coming towards their group. "Sasuke! Good to see you!"

"Took your time getting here," Sasuke said indignantly as the ninja bounded up to him.

Naruto slowed in his greeting when he caught sight of his dark-haired teammate's current state, looking intently at Sasuke's rapidly swelling face. "What the hell happened to you?!" he exclaimed.

Neither Sasuke, Sakura, or Kakashi spoke first.

Naruto continued, "Who did that to you Sasuke? Who'd you fight?! Where's the other guy? I bet he looks worse!"

Two other sighs matched Kakashi's as the three of them shared the same thought about their blonde friend: What an idiot.

Naruto's imagination ran away with him as he rambled on, slapping Sasuke on the back of the shoulder. "It had to have been somebody really strong for them to have to be able to hit you like that! Who was it?!"

Kakashi looked over at Sakura who was practically boiling now. Naruto's stupidity was unchallenged sometimes.

Naruto elbowed Sasuke with a smile. "Don't tell me you sparred with Lee while I was gone! I can't believe I missed that fight!"

Sasuke scoffed and turned his head, "There's no way in hell I'd let that loser get one on me."

Kakashi shook his head. He felt like they were both missing the point here.

"Kiba?! No, wait, it must have been Kakashi!" Naruto pointed at his white-haired sensei.

"Unlikely," was Sasuke's blunt reply and Kakashi couldn't help but flash the Uchiha an affronted look.

That's when Sakura lost it. She grabbed onto the fool's collar and began to thrash him about angrily. "I'm going to give you a black eye to match, if you don't stop being such a blundering idiot! And here I was excited for you to come home!"

"Wha- Wha-" Naruto yelled, his head whipping around violently. "What did I do, Sakura-chan!?"

She dropped him, stepped over him dramatically, and stormed into the ramen bar, leaving the rest of her team behind. They all winced when they heard her sit roughly down at the bar and angrily place her order.

Kakashi helped Naruto up, whose eyes were like spinning saucers. "What did I say," he asked nauseously.

"Apparently," Kakashi locked eyes with Sasuke. "Sakura is the one who got the better of Sasuke."

"What?!" Naruto snapped out of his daze. "Sasuke, you bastard! You fought with Sakura?! Why the hell did you do that?!"

Sasuke glared at him as best as he could with one eye. "She attacked _me,_ you loser."

"What did you do! Why I oughta-!"

"Enough," Kakashi intervened, grabbing Naruto from behind and pushing the two of them through the tapestries and into the ramen shop. Sakura sat on the far right, creating enough steam to compete with the ramen she was viciously slurping down. Kakashi took the seat beside her when Naruto and Sasuke froze in their spots. They both looked at him gratefully as they took the two seats left of him.

"Hokage-sama!" The ramen-maker exclaimed, marveling at the four of them. "What a surprise. I haven't had the opportunity to serve this motley crew in quite some time!"

"Yes, it has been awhile," Kakashi replied kindly, offering him a smile. "My treat tonight," he added, gesturing to the three of his ragged students.

Naruto seemed to forget his anger and shouted at Teuchi that he wanted "three orders of extra-large Pork Miso Ramen with extra pork!"

After they ordered, Naruto began to ask Sasuke question after question about his travels, to which Sasuke grunted in reply every now and then. Kakashi noticed that Sakura's mood seemed to lighten considerably at the familiar chatter between them. Then, Naruto told them all about Kumogakure and how he had gotten to battle with Killer B and how Lady Tsunade threw a fit about his resulted injuries.

"I guess I shouldn't have been so reckless," Naruto added, rubbing the back of his head, "but it was totally worth it!"

At that moment, Sakura suddenly stood and said, "Lady Tsunade! She must be back, as well. I need to see her immediately!"

She stood up quickly and said, "Please excuse me!"

Naruto stood and yelled after her as she ran out of the shop, "Wait, Sakura-chan! We only just got here! We haven't even-"

"Just let her go," Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder. "A lot has happened."

"Like what?" he demanded, looking between the two of them.

Kakashi didn't miss how Sasuke had suddenly stopped eating, and was watching the swaying draperies that Sakura had just run through. He caught Kakashi's eyes and turned back around.

"And besides," Kakashi continued, ignoring Naruto's question. "I think there's something Sasuke has been waiting to talk to the two of us about, anyway."

Sasuke frowned when the two of them placed their gazes onto him.

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Sakura dashed towards the hospital in the darkness. How she had any energy left after fighting Sasuke, was a mystery to her. The lights from the shops illuminated the street, making it easy for her to avoid people and place leveled steps. Sakura needed to see her teacher. She needed to apologize for the mess she made of everything while she was away. She needed to tell her what happened from her own mouth. She just needed someone to talk to about this.

Sliding through the glass doors of the Hospital's front entrance, Sakura was instantly met by her own pupil, Kirai. "Sakura-sensei?"

"Did Lady Tsunade come here?" she demanded, avoiding the worried gazes from her co-workers and staff.

"She's upstairs, ma'am, but-" Kirai began, but didn't get the chance to finish before Sakura was bounding up the stairs.

Any minute now and she would see Tsunade. She would tell her how she didn't think she was up to being the head of Konoha's medical core.

When she reached the top of the stairs, Sakura could hear the Lady's voice coming from down the hall. Sakura didn't stop. She walked until she reached the last door.

"It's still a little early," Tsnuade was saying, "so I'm surprised we can see anything at all."

Without hesitation, Sakura opened the door and walked inside. "Lady Tsunade-," she began, but stopped short when she saw what was happening before her.

Hinata was in the room, as well. She was laying down on a cot, with her shirt lifted. Tsunade was standing over her, placing a white probe on her abdomen. On a screen, half-concealed by Tsunade's body, there was a black and white image displayed.

"S-Sakura?" Hinata gasped, sitting up.

"Sakura?!" Tsunade chided, "You know better than to barge-"

"I'm so sorry!" Sakura blurted, covering her eyes, "I didn't mean to intrude!"

"No, it's okay." Hinata smiled shyly. "Come see, Sakura."

Sakura's knees wobbled at the scene, and she was suddenly overcome with emotion. "Hinata, are you- You're -?" She couldn't say the word. She couldn't make herself believe the image that she had caught a glimpse of on the LCD Display.

Tsunade grabbed her hand tenderly and brought her over to them. "Here," she said, handing Sakura the ultrasound's transducer. "See for yourself. You need practice with this new machine anyway."

Sakura tenderly placed the probe back onto Hinata's belly and began searching. Tsunade pointed to a little black circle that moved onto the screen. "It's barely visible, but it's there. Congratulations Hinata. You're going to be a mother."

Tears of joy flooded Sakura's green eyes, spilling onto her cheeks and running down her chin. "Hinata," she cried. "I can't believe it! I am so happy!" She hugged the dark-haired girl firmly, and tears sprang to Hinata's eyes as well.

"Does Naruto know?" Sakura suddenly asked, pulling back to look at her friend.

"Took him long enough to figure it out," Tsunade interrupted, "but he knows. He found out on the mission. The ultrasound just confirms it."

"Poor Naruto," Hinata mewled. "I have been unbearable to him the past two weeks."

"What do you expect from a pregnant woman who's dealing with morning sickness while traveling?" Tsunade comforted. Sakura giggled, picturing clueless Naruto try to make sense of his struggling and temperamental wife.

After Hinata left, Sakura followed Tsunade to her office. Sakura had butterflies in her stomach and had been too distracted by Hinata's news to remember her previous train of thought. It was Tsunade who brought it up.

"I head what happened," the Sanin said quietly. "Kakashi wrote me."

Sakura froze at her words, the delight suddenly sapped out of her. "I- I failed."

"Sakura," Tsunade exclaimed, turning to her student and wrapping her in an embrace. "You are not to blame for any of it."

A new wave of tears returned to Sakura's eyes as she gripped tightly to her sensei. "What do I do? It's so hard. What did I expect in rescuing these children and bringing them here?"

"It's still developing Sakura," her sensei reassured her. "You can't let this one incident overshadow all the good that has come from the Mental Health Clinic you've developed."

"But I've been distracted- I didn't do enough." Sakura had to make Tsunade understand that if she hadn't been so preoccupied with thoughts of Sasuke, then maybe she could have done more.

Tsunade sat with her on a bench in the two chairs adjacent from her desk. "According to Kakashi, you have been doing more than enough in my absence. Sakura, don't put so much responsibility on your shoulders. You are human."

"But you-" Sakura refuted, wanting to tell her how Tsunade could have been able to save the child if she would have been here instead.

"-are also human," Tsunade finished for her. "Hell, when I was your age, I abandoned the Leaf Village and went off to occupy myself with gambling and liquor. You're doing more than I ever did."

Sakura looked down at their joined hands. Tsunade always had a way of making her feel encouraged. Even when she failed repeatedly, Tsunade was always there to support her, even if it was considere tough love.

"Maybe that's what _you_ need," Tsunade added.

Sakura shot her a confused look and Tsunade continued. "A vacation."

"Oh no," Sakura exclaimed. "I couldn't leave you here! Not after having started the Mental Health Clinic. That's my responsibility."

"Psssh, what are a couple of kids that I can't manage?" Tsunade laughed. "Seriously, go on a vacation. Go represent Konoha and open other Mental Health Clinics in other villages. You know, like you did with the Sand Village. Get a little drunk while you're at it. It's good for the soul."

Sakura didn't know what to say. She couldn't leave the village now, could she? Not when her patients needed her. Not when she just got the Mental Health Clinic established. Not when Sasuke, the love of her life, was now here. She frowned as her thoughts turned again to him. For how long? How long, now that Naruto had come home?

"Speaking of liquor," Tsunade's voice grew angry. "I heard about what you did! You owe me a new alcohol collection!"

Sakura clasped her hands together in apology and blushed at the recollection of her drunken behavior. "Forgive me Lady Tsunade! I wasn't myself-I-"

"Did you get drunk?" Tsunade asked bluntly, cutting Sakura's explanation short.

"Maybe a little," Sakura replied, face red in embarrassment. She was going to get walloped in the head any minute now.

The blonde Sanin just grinned instead. "Well then it was worth it! I'm so proud of you. You're becoming more like me every day!"

Sakura grimaced. Maybe she did need a vacation.

Suddenly, Tsunade grabbed the girl by the chin. "Heavens child, what happened to your face?!"

Sakura smirked. "I did it! I told Sasuke how I felt about him. I gave it to him loud and clear."

Tsunade beamed proudly and then placed her palm gently on her student's forehead, fingers glowing. "It's about damn time."

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Sasuke and Naruto sat on the roof of the Hokage's tower, looking down at the glowing lights of the village. After Sakura had left them, Kakashi, Naruto, and he had walked here so they could speak in confidentiality. Once they were enclosed within the Hokage's office, Sasuke had begun to tell them everything he knew about Kaguya, including what new information he learned from Chino in regards to Kaguya's army.

"What do you mean 'a force more powerful than herself'? What does that mean?" Naruto asked, pacing the room.

"I'm not sure," Sasuke affirmed. "My theory is that Kaguya didn't create the White Zetsu to fight the allied shinobi in the war. I believe there's something bigger out there. Something more dangerous."

The three of them exchanged glances. Kakashi sat in his chair, hand under his chin in quiet contemplation. Sasuke had secretly been hoping they would be able to debunk his theory, to dissect it and find that it was faulty and find it untrue. But neither of them said anything and stared back at Sasuke with fearful eyes.

Finally, Kakashi spoke. "You're saying that you think there's more of the Otsutsuki clan out there that we don't know about? And that they pose a threat to the village?"

"What about Toneri?" Naruto suddenly asked, and Sasuke looked at him with confusion. "I mean, he was an Otsutsuki that came to Earth in order to get the Byakugan. Could he have been the threat she was so afraid of?"

Toneri. Yes, Sasuke remembered that name being mentioned by Kakashi through correspondence. He was one of the direct decedents of Homura Otsutsuki, a son of Kaguya who colonized the moon. Toneri was the one whom Naruto, Hinata, Shikamaru, Sai, and Sakura had to chase to the moon in order to rescue Hinata's little sister, Hanabi. Toneri had been defeated and was left on the moon to ensure it never approached Earth again.

Sasuke walked to the window to think, his back to Kakashi and Naruto. Toneri couldn't be the threat if he was a descendent of Homura. According to Hagoromo, the Sage of Six Paths, Kaguya had begun to prepare the White Zetsu Army long before her sons betrayed her. She had to have been afraid that someone more powerful would come after her chakra. Her sons inherited chakra, so neither of them, or their descendants, could be the force she was afraid of. There had to be someone else. Someone much more worse.

Sasuke had relayed this to them, and watched as they exchanged glances.

"Should we arrange a Five Kage Summit?" Kakashi asked.

"No," Sasuke had replied quickly. "I want to do some more investigation myself, first. I could be wrong about all of this so there's no reason to alarm everyone just yet."

Now, after this conversation, he and Naruto sat on the top of the Hokage's building. Sasuke gazed down at the village below him which was glowing with evening lights. He was amazed at all the technological advancements that were starting to be incorporated into the village. Electricity had made a huge development, and was becoming more common in the typical household. Sasuke wondered what the future of this village might be in just a few years.

Naruto, who was leaning his back against the railing next to him, peered up at the faces carved into the mountainside. He was looking at the 4th Hokage's face with a strange acuteness, as if he was trying to tell the deceased man something important.

After a few seconds, Naruto turned back around, and rested his elbows on the railing. "So, how long are you staying?"

Sasuke smirked. "You know that I can't stay. I've stayed long enough waiting on your slow ass."

Naruto laughed for a second before resolving into seriousness. He had a tendency to do that whenever it was just the two of them. "So what's the plan?"

Sasuke didn't mind letting Naruto in on his next steps. Despite his idiocy, sometimes Naruto could offer helpful council. "I've requested permission to return to Sunagakure to pick up my search there. I'm waiting for clearance from the Kazekage."

Naruto nodded. It seemed he didn't have any better suggestions. After a second, he just said, "Don't stay away so long, this time. Don't forget where your home is."

"I'm staying away to protect it," was Sasuke's blunt answer. He didn't understand why Naruto and Sakura couldn't come to terms with this one simple fact.

Naruto chuckled, as if the conversation should stay lighthearted. He changed the subject. "Your face looks awful, Sasuke. Did you insult her? I try to avoid Sakura's bad side. She's going to murder me with that monster strength someday, I'm sure of it."

The Uchiha grunted in response. Sasuke didn't know what to say. He'd rather not tell Naruto the nature between his fight with Sakura earlier this evening. He was just glad Naruto was finally back so that he could leave this damn place. He was tired of the mental war that was going on inside his head, here. The village was contagious, and he needed to get away from it.

"What's going on with you two?" Naruto asked directly and Sasuke flinched.

"Nothing that concerns you," he spat out icily. His left cheek was beginning to swell and Sasuke winced at the pain he felt when he talked.

Naruto frowned at him, becoming more intent by the second. "What did Kakashi mean by 'A lot has happened'?"

Sasuke shot him a glare. "Just mind your own business, loser."

Naruto was determined to get some answers, but his voice softened. "Is Sakura okay? Just tell me that."

Sasuke came up short. The insult he had prepared died on his lips. Sasuke wasn't sure whether Sakura was okay or not. He had tried to help her after her incident with the death of her patient, but Sasuke wasn't the ideal person for that sort of thing. If Naruto had been here, he would have done a better job. Now that Tsunade was back, Sasuke was sure that she was probably the one who could help Sakura the most. Sakura had practically stormed out of Ichiraku to find the blonde Sanin.

"I think so," was all Sasuke could offer. Naruto just nodded.

After a few seconds, Naruto stretched and put his arms behind his head, smiling, a familiar gesture Sasuke had seen a million times. "Hinata and I- we're going to have a baby."

Sasuke turned to look Naruto squarely in the face. His teammate was grinning so wide, Sasuke thought his lips would split. Sasuke couldn't believe his ears. Not only was Naruto married, but he was expecting a child, now? How could that be? Sasuke couldn't imaging the knucklehead with a miniature Naruto on his shoulders.

"Congratulations," Sasuke said, adding a bit of kindness to his usually monotoned voice.

"I'm happy Sasuke. I'm going to have a family!" He clapped Sasuke on the shoulder before adding, "You know, I want to see my friends happy, too."

Sasuke felt joy, jealousy, and sadness all at the same time. He knew what Naruto wanted for him- wanted for Sakura. What must it be like to come home to someone every night? He remembered Sakura's words to him earlier today: "All I would need to know is that you love me back." His heart ached. Sasuke's mind wandered suddenly and he couldn't shut out the images of raven-haired children playing at his own feet. But then those visions changed from laughing children to screaming ones, and Sasuke shuddered at the thought. What if they were taken from him? What if, because of who he was, his family would be targeted and killed? He couldn't even think about such things. A family would only cause him pain.

Sasuke stood up straight, and walked over to the large claw-like pillar jutting up from the rooftop and leaned his shoulder against it. He turned his back on Naruto. "I don't want a family."

Naruto didn't move closer, giving Sasuke his space, but he crossed his arms over his chest and spoke louder, "You think you're fooling me with that, but I know you Sasuke. I may be clueless about a lot of things, but I know you're not such a heartless guy anymore. I _know_ you care. I can see it on your face. It's not going to kill you to open your heart."

Sasuke's temper flared like the inferno inside of him and he turned on Naruto, raising his voice, "And then what? What happens when I lose those close to me again? What will keep me from the darkness? From choosing the path of revenge?"

"I will," he answered seriously—almost invincibly. "I'll stop you."

Sasuke just shook his head. He knew that the minute someone killed someone he cared about. . . again, there would be no stopping him. Instead, he asked, "How can you promise that nothing will happen?"

Naruto walked over to Sasuke then, and gave him a slight shove in the shoulder with his fist. There was a confidence in Naruto's eyes that Sasuke recognized. It was the same look that had once annoyed the hell out of the Uchiha, but eventually saved him. "If you believe in my dream, then fight for the future we have striven for. Help me ensure the peace of the next generation, and nothing will take your family away from you, Sasuke."

Sasuke looked down at his feet. Kaguya's face flashed in his mind and Sasuke's sudden hope at Naruto's words dwindled. It was like a viscous cycle. Sasuke had to kill this new danger in order to guarantee the peace Naruto talked about. To do that, Sasuke would have to give up his personal life here in the village so he could find and eliminate the threat of the Otsutsuki race. No matter how he looked at it, Sasuke would have to fight for this bright future that Naruto envisioned, but have no part in it.

Itachi's words came into Sasuke's mind, and they beat throughout his body with every drum of his heart. _"Self-sacrifice. A nameless shinobi who protects peace within its shadow. That is a true shinobi."_

"I'll fight for this future," Sasuke stated, unwavering in his firmness. "My resolve to protect this village is stronger than ever. In order to do that, I can't share in your happiness, Naruto."

Naruto sighed and looked down at his feet, as if he had said the wrong thing and wished he could take back his words.

Sasuke walked to edge of the building once more, and peered over the side again at the home he was giving up. Without looking back, he said, "I'm leaving tomorrow."


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the wait guys. My health has plummeted recently, so it has been a struggle to feel up to writing. Extra-long chapter to celebrate the new Shinden novel we are getting tomorrow. Cheers.

 **P.S.** : Let me know what you think. I read and appreciate all the reviews. You guys are my fav.

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Chapter 15: Happiness**

"This is wonderful, Sakura," Tsunade exclaimed as she evaluated the effects of Sakura's newly developed burn medicine. The former Hokage was flipping through the files of Sakura's burn victims, assessing Sakura's detailed descriptions of their injuries as well as their reactions to both the medicine and Sakura's charka treatments.

"Thank you, My Lady," Sakura smiled bashfully at her sensei's praise. "I am hoping to develop more medicine in the future, in order to help more patients without the use of chakra for every injury."

Tsunade looked up at her after hearing her statement. She pinched her chin and looked up, pondering. "That's brilliant. If we could develop medicine that reacted quickly to smaller injuries, we could potentially reserve chakra and treat more patients."

Yes, that's exactly what Sakura was thinking. During her sensei's absence, Sakura had struggled to make up for the combined chakra supply that Lady Tsunade and the other traveling medic ninja provided at the hospital. Without their help, Sakura had drained herself completely every day, stretching herself so thin, that Sakura had had a hard time replenishing her own chakra before the beginning of each day. With medicine like this, perhaps they could reserve their chakra over longer periods of time and potentially double their patient intake, like Tsunade said.

Sakura carefully picked up the jar of medicine she had saved from the batch she created. Removing the lid, she dipped a finger into the green herbal solution. She extended it out towards her sensei.

"Something I also discovered was that this particular medicine responded to my chakra."

Tsunade shot up an inquisitve eyebrow, placing back down the files. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Sakura began, sending chakra to her finger. It began glowing green under the medicine. "After some testing, I found that if I applied chakra to the medicine, it hardened."

She demonstrated this for her sensei who widened her eyes as the gunk on her finger solidified into a small shell, completely encasing her finger. Sakura picked at it to reveal that no amount of scratching or tampering could remove it.

"What if we could develop medicine that was enhanced with the application of chakra?" Sakura thought out loud, sending chakra back to her finger to liquify the substance back into its original state.

"That's ingenious!" Tsunade exclaimed. "Can you imagine the possibilities?!"

They were both grinning like mad. It had been too long since Sakura had obsessed over medical things with her teacher. When they put their minds together like this, Sakura often felt like there was nothing they couldn't do.

Getting a little ahead of herself, Sakura blurted, "For the next couple of weeks, I'm hoping to-"

"Sakura," Tsunade interrupted, walking over to her and placing a hand on her student's shoulder. It was the third time she had done this since Sakura had come to see her after eating ramen with Team 7. After Tsunade healed Sakura's forehead, Sakura had begun to fill her in on every detail that had happened at the hospital since her departure. Her burn patients were something she couldn't wait to get to. She was just about to tell Tsunade about all her plans for the hospital and the mental health clinic, when she was suddenly interrupted.

"What is it?" Sakura asked timidly, looking worriedly at her sensei.

Tsunade sighed and cupped her hands together. "Actually, I've been thinking about what I said earlier-about a vacation for you."

It took Sakura a long second before she understood what she was saying. "You were serious about that?"

Tsunade looked away guiltily. "After Kakashi's correspondence during my mission, I have been worried about you. You deserve a break. If you'd like, I could submit a request for a mission for you. An excuse to get you out of this village."

There was a mixture of feelings that swelled up in Sakura's chest. She was confused. Tsunade had been serious about her leaving? Sakura couldn't help but feel a little hurt as she stared blankly at Tsunade. But why? Did Tsunade want to be rid of her? Suddenly, she couldn't hold back the tears that suddenly came to her eyes.

"You want me to leave?" she squeaked, her composure shattering. "I mean, I know messed up, but I-"

"No, no," her sensei began, taking Sakura's hands into hers. "I'm not disappointed in you. I want you to go and do something. If just for a little while."

Sakura blinked away her tears but was still confused. How could she possibly leave now? Not only did her mental health clinic patients need her, but how would Tsunade keep up with it all without her? She would essentially be abandoning them.

Sakura started to shake her head, fumbling with her words. ."But I- I don't think- I can't just leave the clinic-"

"Stop right there," Tsunade interrupted. "What good can you do Sakura, if you're not taking care of yourself first?"

That comment stung a little. She blamed herself for not pushing herself harder and getting distracted by Sasuke and here was Tsunade telling her that she was doing too much and needed a distraction.

"These patients are important to me," Sakura began again, hoping that her dedication and resolve could be expressed in these words. She cherished these patients; she was responsible for them. They needed her, didn't they?

After a few seconds, Sakura looked down at her hands. The green mixture still covered her finger. "But where would I go? What would I do?"

"My dear girl," Tsunade said in her gentle but stern voice. "You have so much potential. I want you to go out into the world and change it. Get away from this place for a while. I know I certainly did when I was your age. But instead of gambling and drinking like me-well, drink a little-go open some more clinics and raise mental health awareness. Go deliver your medicine and mentor ninja in other villages."

Sakura thought about it for a long minute. How could she be expected to go out and change the world when she had failed in her own village? How could she even think about leaving? Then, she suddenly had another thought. Maybe they were better off without her. Maybe she wasn't what was best for the village at this point in her life. Maybe she could focus on herself for just once in her life and come back to the village with new experiences and knowledge; come back rejuvenated.

These thoughts were selfish of her and she started to shake her head.

"I don't know, Lady Tsunade," Sakura said, locating a rag on a cart nearby and wiping her green hand on it. "It's so sudden."

"It's up to you. I want you to do what's best for you," She said, walking over and placing her hands on her hips and leaning toward her. "Think on it and get back to me."

…

…

…

Naruto ducked his head as he made his way towards Sakura's apartment. It was the one place left he was hoping she'd be. He had already tried the hospital and Granny Tsunade had informed him that she had just left.

He sighed nervously. Naruto hadn't gotten the chance to tell her about his big news. He hoped she wasn't still mad at him about earlier. Naruto silently chastised himself. Perhaps he really needed to work on not jumping to conclusions and sticking his foot in his mouth, especially when it concerned Sakura. She really was going to be the death of him some day.

But it wasn't _his_ news he was so uneasy about telling her. Sasuke had only just informed him a few moments ago that he was leaving the village, now that he had had the chance to discuss the new information regarding the White Zetsu Army with Kakashi and himself.

"Tomorrow?" Naruto questioned. "But that's so soon."

Sasuke kept his back to Naruto, a dark figure in the night outlined against the village lights. "There's nothing left for me to do here," he remarked distantly.

Naruto had wanted nothing more than to convince him to stay, to hook his arm around his friend's neck, tell him he could stay for a few days to catch up on all the sparring they were behind on. Maybe drag him back to Ichiraku's and insist the Uchiha owed him a free bowl of ramen, for losing their last fight. But the situation wasn't so simple. Sasuke had a mission-a mission that only _he_ could complete with his Rinnegan. Sasuke was right when he said earlier that every day he remained here was a risk to the village.

Standing, his friend came to a stop beside him so that they were standing shoulder to shoulder, each facing the opposite direction. "I'll let you and Kakashi know if I discover anything else." And then he started to walk away.

Turning, Naruto laughed. "Is that a goodbye?"

Sasuke stopped walking but didn't turn when he responded, "Congratulations again. Your future is bright. I aim to keep it that way. For everyone."

"Wait," Naruto said quickly. This _was_ goodbye, and Naruto wasn't ready for it. He was never ready for it. He wanted to say something. Something that would help Naruto feel like his friend was living a meaningful life-not one of loneliness.

Sasuke froze again when Naruto said, "I'm sorry it has to be you. I truly am. I want you to have a bright future, too."

There was no response for a long moment, and Naruto thought that maybe Sasuke wasn't going to say anything at all. Naruto sighed, resigned to say something else but was surprised when Sasuke finally responded.

"Tell Sakura that I'm sorry for everything. Tell her that I have to do this."

Naruto hung his jaw and shook his head, before spitting out, "Come on man. You should tell her that yourself. Go and at least say goodbye-"

"It's for the best," he said quickly, monotoned and serious. Naruto knew there would be no arguing with him. Unlike Sasuke, he didn't see how it was "the best" to leave without saying goodbye. They both knew how she would take it and Naruto couldn't bear to see her brokenness after finding out he had left without a word to her.

Naruto had sighed and Sasuke disappeared into the night. "Goodbye . . . Sasuke," he said to the wind.

Now, fist in his pockets, he stared dejectedly at the lights coming from Sakura's windows. He raised his hand and rapped his knuckles against the door.

He heard a crash and laughed silently to himself when he heard Sakura curse at a stool. The door opened, and Naruto flashed his pink-haired teammate the largest half-moon grin his facial features could manage.

"Naruto?" she exclaimed, opening the door wider. A smile broke across her face as tears suddenly came to her eyes. Naruto raised his hands in the air, confounded when her arms wrapped tightly around his chest. She was suddenly squeezing the breath from his lungs as tears trailed down her face.

"Sakura-" he choked out, face turning purple, "Your strength- hurting me," he choked out.

After releasing him, she held him back at arm's length and continued to cry. "I'm so happy for you! Congratulations! I can't believe you're going to be a dad!"

"Oh!" he released a sigh of relief. He suddenly turned giddy at the reminder of his big news. "How'd you find out?!"

"I saw Hinata," she said excitedly, pulling him through the archway of her doorframe. "At the hospital."

That's right. He suddenly remembered how Hinata was heading there with Granny Tsunade first thing once they got back. Naruto was glad that Sakura had been there for the visit, to be a part of it. He was glad Hinata was the one that had gotten to tell her, even if he was a little disappointed to not have gotten to see Sakura's initial reaction. He'd have to have Hinata tell him how it all went down. His pregnant wife was probably waiting up for him right now, as they spoke.

Sakura was suddenly pouring him a cup of hot tea as she raved about how excited she was to be an aunt. Naruto took the cup she offered and listened as she continued to lecture him on how to treat a pregnant woman, both emotionally and medically. She was saying something about swelling feet and cravings. Naruto found it difficult to take it all in as he stared at her with his eyes wide and mouth open. "Can you write that all down for me?"

She rolled her eyes, but then grinned at him. "It's going to be great. I'm so excited for you, Naruto. A baby is going to bring so much joy and happiness into your life. You deserve it."

He cheesed and nodded, laughing while rubbing the back of his head. "Yeahhh."

Suddenly Naruto was thinking about her words as she looked off into the distance. She said that the baby would bring him happiness.

 _"My resolve to protect this village is stronger than ever. In order to do that, I can't share in your happiness, Naruto."_

 _"Your future is bright. I aim to keep it that way. For everyone."_

Sasuke's words burned in Naruto's thoughts. He looked away from Sakura guiltily. He was suddenly remembering how he had once promised her that he would bring Sasuke back to the village for good. Even though Sasuke had returned to them, he _still_ wasn't home to stay.

"Sakura," he began, unsure of how best to relay her Sasuke's message. "Er- about Sasuke."

Her smile and crinkled eyes faded. A frown and worried brow replaced them. She looked down into her cup. "You talked to him?"

"Yes," he tried to sound lighthearted. Naruto really didn't know how to put things in a way that wasn't so blunt and insensitive. If anyone deserved happiness, it was Sakura. How could he tell her that the love of her life was giving up on his own future filled with happiness all for the sake of the village- a future with her. It seemed Sasuke was the only one who thought that she could have a happy life without him, but Naruto knew the truth. Sometimes-on the rare occasion when he wasn't being so dense and unaware-Naruto could see how Sasuke's absence affected her. She would look longingly at her friends who were happy and whenever Sasuke's name came up in conversation, she would suddenly grow silent. Naruto felt selfish, basking in his own joy when all he wanted was to see his friends as happy as he was.

"He's leaving, I know," Sakura whispered and looked back up to meet his eyes. He nodded in response.

Setting her empty cup on the table they sat around, she asked, "I'm assuming that he's leaving very soon."

"Tomorrow," Naruto spoke hesitantly, flinching at his own words.

Sakura frowned, looked away and blinked hard, as if she were processing the word and questioning it, as if she were confused.

Naruto wasn't sure what happened between them while he was away, but it seemed as if Sakura were expecting this news already, as if she wasn't surprised at how soon he was leaving. Naruto hoped that this was the response he continued to receive as he began to tell her the rest of the message. It would be very nice _not_ to piss her off and end up thrown through a wall tonight.

"He told me to tell you that he's sorry. That he has to do this," Naruto blurted nervously, and Sakura gaped at him which made him duck his head. Her sudden glare at the wall was making his gut tighten.

Naruto suddenly put a palm to his head, looking up at the ceiling, "Gah. I'm sorry Sakura! I tried to convince him-" and then under his breath: "why do I always end up putting myself in near death situations like this?"

She stood suddenly, which made him flinch and throw up his arms. Kindly taking his empty cup from his hands, she smiled at him which made Naruto both skeptical and worried. "Thank you- for coming and telling me that. It means a lot."

"Sakura," Naruto began again, trying to explain Sasuke's actions. Trying to come up with some justifiable excuse as to why it had to be _him_ instead of Sasuke to tell her this. Naruto understood Sasuke better than a lot of people, maybe even better than Sakura. Sasuke was always that person with the drive to get things done, and even obsessing over it until he had accomplished his goal. This was true concerning Sasuke's revenge against Itachi, revenge against the Leaf, and now unlocking the secrets of the Otsusuki race in order to protect the village. This was another goal, and Naruto wondered if Sasuke's habit of excluding his friends would always be a constant in his missions.

How could he explain this to Sakura? How could Naruto best make her understand his closest friend?

But then Sakura said something that made Naruto second-guess himself in the matter of who in team 7 understood Sasuke the most.

"If Sasuke is already saying goodbye, then he's _not_ leaving tomorrow."

…..

…..

…..

Sasuke couldn't wait to walk out of those village gates and be gone from this place. He had missed his freedom-those wide-open skies that left Sasuke feeling like he was someone else. Even though the village was dear to him, when Sasuke was surrounded by those walls with the Kage's faces peering down at him from the mountain, the Uchiha couldn't help but remember who he was. In the village, Sasuke was the only survivor of the Uchiha massacre; he was the convict that killed, murdered, and betrayed his village; he was the one who had tried to defeat the Hokage.

Sasuke told Naruto he was leaving tomorrow. This wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the entire truth either. Sasuke had told his dearest friend goodbye-in a way. He had also told him to tell Sakura his farewell, too. Sasuke seriously hoped she would understand why it was best that he left without seeing her. It would be less painful, he had hoped. But Sasuke knew that he was also chickening out. To be honest, he didn't want to see her face when he told her goodbye, or watch her cry, or listen to her pleads for him to stay. He had already told her everything he had needed to.

Because of this thinking, Sasuke decided to leave at 2 in the morning. He knew it was just the right time to leave without anyone noticing his departure. He didn't like the idea of running into someone he knew-or didn't care for-and small talk his way into an explanation, even if he didn't owe one. The truth was, he was avoiding everyone he cared for. Sasuke didn't like greetings, and he certainly didn't like goodbyes. It was easier this way, to leave in the middle of the night. By the time someone thought to look for him or question his whereabouts, he would be gone. Sasuke wouldn't have to deal with the responsibilities of goodbyes.

Walking down the path towards the village gates, Sasuke reached up and fingered the large knot that was still bulging from his eye. He stopped, suddenly, remembering his conversation with Sakura after their fight.

 _"All I would need to know is that you love me back. We don't have to be together to love each other, Sasuke."_

He frowned, gritting his teeth against the weakness in his heart. She had told him that if he left, she wouldn't move on. Sasuke hoped that it was a lie. He didn't tell her that he loved her. Sasuke hated the idea of telling her about the feelings that had begun to strangle his good senses ever since he set foot back in this stifling village. He was afraid to give her hope. Afraid to sentence Sakura to a life of longing and waiting on him because she knew he had feelings for her. No matter how he looked at it, a lonely life was a loveless life. No, he would never tell her he loved her.

Sasuke looked down at his feet, surprised that they weren't moving. Why was he stopping? Why did he _care?_ The Sasuke from a couple years ago wouldn't be thinking how he was now, with sadness in his heart combined with happiness for his friend who was expecting his first child.

Sasuke sighed, determination creeping back into his core. He had to protect them-all of them: Naruto, his wife, and future child; Sakura and her obnoxious blond friend, Kakashi and his future retirement; everyone Sasuke had ever known- he wanted them _all_ to be happy, even if he couldn't.

He walked for a long while, resolving himself to his duty and mission. He repeated Itachi's words throughout his head, as if it were a chant he cited going into battle: " _Self-sacrifice. A nameless shinobi who protects peace within its shadow. That is a true shinobi."_

Sasuke felt pride for his brother. He would be a true shinobi, like Itachi.

Diluting the darkness, the full moon peeked out from the clouds. The crickets were loud and the only other noise Sasuke could hear were the pats of his own feet against the road's cobblestone. He passed the swing in front of the academy and stared at it momentarily before walking on. Coming around the bend on the only road out of the village, Sasuke halted just before he reached the stone bench on his right.

Standing quietly in the middle of the path, was the same girl he left all those years ago. The same girl who was going to dare Sasuke to make the same decision again- the decision to leave her behind.

…..

…..

…..

Sakura watched as Sasuke's distinct figure came around the corner. Even in the faint light, she could recognize that outline anywhere. He was walking slowly, on the only road out of the village. She had been right to come here. He really was leaving.

It took the Uchiha a minute to notice her. When he did, Sasuke stopped mid-step beside the bench that Sakura had been left on all those years ago. She prepared herself; she was not going to be that same girl.

Sighing, Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. "What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?"

Taking a second to hold together her determination, she frowned at his comment. She tried to keep the crack out of her voice when she spoke, ""I thought we had agreed you were going to stop dodging me. I thought we had an understanding."

He didn't reply. Sakura tried to calm her terribly beating heart. Tears were already threatening to come to her eyes, and she chastised herself for them. Stupid girl,she thought to herself and held them back. Sakura was not going to cry. Not again. She was going to be strong.

"You haven't changed," she stated unhappily, and Sasuke blinked hard at her comment, raising wide eyes to meet hers. "You still won't tell me anything," she continued determinedly, doing her best to say what she felt. "You can't even say goodbye."

She was suddenly remembering what she had cried out to him the last time they stood together on this path: " _Why don't you ever tell me anything?"_ Sakura was half-expecting the same cold response from him that Sasuke had spat out at her: " _Why should I have to tell you anything?"_

The rough whispered apology that Sasuke gave her instead, was the last thing she was expecting. "You're right," he spoke guiltily, looking away from her and letting out a sigh. "I'm sorry. It's better this way. It's easier."

Softening slightly, Sakura made her way towards him until she was standing only a few feet away from him. "Easier? For who, Sasuke? You?" She swallowed the lump in her throat, stilling herself to finish. "Because there's nothing _easy_ about this for me."

Sasuke flinched and averted his gaze again. "I didn't want to hurt you. I wanted to avoid this."

She reached for his sleeve like she had that night in the alley. She had to keep him here, standing in this spot, as if to prevent him from disappearing. Her hand was shaking but Sasuke didn't move as her finger hooked under the hemmed fabric.

The clouds opened up again and when the moonlight fell upon Sasuke's features, Sakura met his eyes. They were unyielding onyx, firm with resolution. "My answer is still the same as before. I still can't be with you. I _have_ to leave. I have to do this."

"I know you do," She responded, dropping his sleeve. Turning, she walked a few steps ahead of him and reached for the bag that lay in the shadow of nearby tree. Slipping the pack onto her back, she rotated back towards him. "That's why I'm coming with you."

….

….

….

Sasuke's calm, determined expression dissolved as he caught sight of the travel sack she slipped on. Her words formed in his mind, and he nearly exploded.

"You're not coming," he frowned. Sasuke was trying his best to think rationally, but the sight of Sakura standing fiercely, arms crossed, had Sasuke breathing hard with panic in his chest. Now was not the time for this.

"What are you going to do to stop me? Knock me out and leave me on that bench again?" It was almost a challenge.

"I'm considering it," he snapped, closing the distance between them.

She stared up at him, hands coming to rest on her hips. "Go ahead and try it. I'm not some helpless little girl you can leave behind, anymore."

It took him a heated minute to focus. Suddenly, he was faced with a situation he didn't know how to handle. He was going to be searching for evidence for the most powerful race in the universe. It was a very difficult journey and he was constantly having to stay on his guard. Not only this, but just by _being_ with him, an Uchiha, would put a huge target on Sakura's back. What if something happened to her because of him? This was his greatest fear. He couldn't lose any of his loved ones again.

"No," he spoke firmly, shaking his head. "It's too dangerous. I want you to stay here, where it's safe."

She laughed, and the small noise made Sasuke nervous in a way that infuriated him.

"Actually," she smiled, pulling something out from the side compartment of the bag she carried. Between her fingers, she held out a scroll for him to see. It was red with words "A-Rank" scribbled in black ink across the top. "I'm a Jonin, now. I have my own mission to fulfill along the way."

Sasuke glared at the scroll she was concealing back into its special place, as if _it_ were to blame for this entire inconvenience. What the hell was Kakashi thinking? Did he really give her permission to accompany him? Why would he do that?

"It's my turn for my own journey," she beamed again, adjusting the pack on her shoulders. "I'm leaving the village either way. I understand if you want to do this on your own. But I'd hoped we could do this together, so we aren't alone anymore."

Sasuke ran his fingers through his hair. God, she was annoying. An annoying, frustrating woman who was making Sasuke's stomach do somersaults. Sasuke undoubtedly did not want her to come. He was afraid of putting her in danger. He should have told her no; he should have walked away at that very moment. But he couldn't. Words from the past whispered to him in her sobbing voice: " _You told me that day, what a painful thing solitude can be. I understand that pain, now. I have a family and friends, but if you were gone Sasuke. . . It would be the same thing for me, as being all alone."_

It nearly broke his resolve, the thought of her feeling completely alone, just as he had for his entire life. Sasuke had come to terms with the loneliness that came with the responsibility of finding the Otsusuki clan. But, if Sakura were there, if only for a little while, could he escape that eternal loneliness? The thought was tempting, and his longing overwhelmed his dread.

Knowing he would regret it the moment he did this, he huffed crossly and grabbed onto Sakura's travel pack, lifting it carefully off her shoulders and roughly hooking his only arm through one of the straps. "I'll take this. You're just going to slow us down with it."

Sakura's face lit up as Sasuke began to walk forward, not even waiting for her. She immediately followed him, catching up to peer around at his expression. "You really mean it? I can come?"

"Don't make me regret it," he said unfeelingly, trying to figure out if she would have even taken no for an answer. "And don't get in my way."

Sakura wasn't listening. His pink-haired teammate was glowing and smiling mutely to herself. It was going to take Sasuke some considerable effort to get used to having her on missions with him, all over again. The old Sasuke wouldn't have been looking forward to the second chance.


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note:** Sorry guys. Still battling with an illness, so it's been difficult to find the energy to write. On the positive note, I'm enjoying seeing a little more of Sasuke in the Boruto series. It makes me so happy to see Papasuke interact with Sakura and Sarada more. 3

 **P.S.** : To my reviewers, sharers, and likers: THANK YOU. I WRITE FOR YOU!

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Chapter 16: "Almost, but Never Again"**

Sakura was trying hard not to be "annoying." At first, the silence between them felt so awkward that she felt compelled to engage Sasuke in some sort of conversation. She began asking him questions about Kaguya and he answered them all; including one particular truth that Sakura had not known. Apparently, it was the reason why Sasuke had come back home to the village in the first place. It was about the White Zetsu army that Kaguya had created by using the chakra from the God Tree. Sasuke disclosed to her that Kaguya created the army to fight something else, a force stronger than the united shinobi of the war. Sasuke added that he wasn't exactly sure what this threat was, but that it was something to be feared if Kaguya had felt so threatened by it that she created an army in preparation of it.

"It's my goal," he said, giving her a sideways glance "to eliminate this threat. I'll do whatever it takes."

For the first time, Sakura realized the gravity of Sasuke's mission and a combination of anger and appreciation arose in her being for the role Sasuke was playing. Anger, because he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders; his redemption for all his mistakes in the past. It just didn't seem fair, Sakura thought, for Sasuke to have to do this on his own. Appreciation, because Sasuke was doing what _had_ to be done to protect the peace they had all fought so hard for in the Fourth Shinobi World War.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked seriously, scanning the back of his head as he walked a couple steps in front of her. She felt that she had just as much right as Naruto to know what exactly was keeping Sasuke from coming home. "Back in the village, you could have told me."

He was silent for a moment before his quiet voice reached her in the dark. "I didn't want to worry you."

Whether or not that was true, she didn't question him. It was better to believe that that than the worries in her mind of him simply not caring enough to tell her.

And then, she stopped talking all together. She backed off the unrelated questions when Sasuke's answers became short, and then turned to the usual "Hn"s . She knew he was trying, but that he was struggling to participate in a conversation where he was forced to small talk. He had been on his own for so long, Sakura realized, that of course he wasn't going to be as talkative as she hoped. It was her own desire to talk to him that had her blabbing. She stopped, and did her best just to be comfortable with the mutual silence. As long as she was at his side, she told herself, it didn't matter if he was his usual quiet and reserved self.

Instead of talking his ear off, Sakura gazed up at the stars that peaked through the black treetops and thought of all the questions she wanted to ask him. She had a million, but tried her best to discard the questions that came to mind that involved some of his shadier actions during his time apart from Team 7. Questions like: Did you ever think about us when you were away with Orochimaru? She knew the answer, and instantly put the question in the back of her mind because she didn't want to hear it spoken out loud.

After about 30 minutes of her silence, Sasuke stopped when they reached a small clearing between the forest trees and motioned to the soft, green grass. He sat her bag gently down and said, "We have a while yet, before we reach the Land of Rivers' border. Rest now, and we'll continue after the sun has risen."

"Oh," Sakura stammered, walking towards him and leaning over her bag to undo the strap. "Of course." She didn't bother packing a sleeping bag; the weather was growing warmer by the day and Sakura knew that it would be more trouble lugging it around than it was worth. So she awkwardly placed her bag under head as she reclined along the soft grass. Sasuke nodded and turned, which had Sakura leaning toward his direction, perched up on her elbow. "What, you're not resting?"

Sasuke continued to walk away from her until he stopped next to a large oak tree a few feet away. He sat, perched his back against its trunk, and stared off into the darkness. "I'll keep watch for now. I'll wake you when it's your turn."

"Oh," she said, feeling both guilty and a little selfish for not even thinking of offering to do so herself, first. "Are you sure? I don't mind to-"

"Just rest," he said resolutely, crossing his arms as he continued to gaze out into the blackness that surrounded them.

"Give me an hour or two, then wake me," she said shyly, knowing there was no arguing with that stern voice and fixed posture. She turned to rest on her back. "I'll take over so you can sleep, too."

"Hnn," she heard him hum. She couldn't help but feel like his mood was increasingly growing sour by the minute, whether it be because she had talked his ear off earlier, or that he was simply needing sleep, she couldn't tell. She decided to stare up at the stars for a few more minutes before summoning the jutsu to her fingertips that helped her fall asleep quickly. Without it, she would be a tossing ragdoll of nerves that never got any sleep. Looking up at the stars she thought of another question she'd like to ask Sasuke, before falling into a deep, chakra-induced sleep.

. . . . . . . . . . .

The last thing Sasuke would do, was wake her up. He felt like a selfish prick when he heard Sakura yawn. At first, he was appreciative for her questions. It kept him focused on his goal, his mission to annihilate the Otsusuki race. After the 20th question, Sasuke's eye began to twitch. He had forgotten what it was like to be on a mission with anyone other than himself and the effort required to keep up a conversation was jarring. Then she just completely stopped talking which had Sasuke mentally retracing his steps, wondering what he had done wrong to make her withdraw suddenly. Did he sigh out loud? He couldn't remember. And then, she yawned and Sasuke wanted to kick himself. Of course, she was tired. He had purposefully stayed up late to leave the village at 2am and they had been walking for hours.

Now, as he leaned against the trunk of a tree, Sasuke reminded himself that he was going to have to be more thoughtful as long as his pink-haired teammate accompanied him on his journey. Whereas Sasuke's body was wound tightly and all he wanted to do was to keep moving, he was going to have to keep in mind that Sakura had other needs. He couldn't just do as _he_ felt anymore. Sasuke berated himself for being even slightly annoyed about it. So what, if you have to make a couple of extra stops along the way, he told himself, just appreciate that someone you care about is even here for you to worry about.

But to be honest, Sasuke couldn't be happy that she was here. Sakura had won their argument and now Sasuke was marching her straight to the Hidden Sand Village, as if she was just as disposable as he was. No, he'd find a way where he didn't have to involve her in this. Maybe she would be distracted enough with her own mission that Sasuke could pursue the danger without directly involving her in the mess. It was the worry for her safety that was drowning his usual, indifferent composure.

After the faint two beat of Sakura's breathing confirmed she had finally drifted to sleep, Sasuke allowed his gaze to slide over to her sleeping form. Her hair was tangled between her head and the khaki pack she was propped against. Her knees were bent, and her left arm was thrown over her eyes. The fingers of her right hand were splayed out against the grass in such a way that had Sasuke glancing down at his dangling sleeve, the very material that she had held onto with those fingers just hours earlier.

He began to blink heavily, and then, he was suddenly seeing those very same fingers reaching out for him, bloodied and broken at excruciating angles. Her desperate screaming reached him in the vision and Sasuke was staring at her struggling body as a monster leaned over her broken body, a fist around her throat. First, it was Itachi that held her throat and Sasuke was a child again, begging him to spare her life. Then the figure morphed and it was Gaara, the sand demon, who stood over Sakura and covering her face with his sand. Sasuke was clawing at a wall of sand that separated him from her and he was whispering Naruto's name, pleading for him to save her. The monster shifted again, and the form it took next, had Sasuke kneeling and trembling at the pale face of Kaguya. Sasuke couldn't shut out the noise of Sakura wailing his name.

"Sasuke," that voice was calling out to him, and when he opened his eyes, Sakura was crouching in front of him, a shadow against the yellow morning light. "Wake up."

He stared at Sakura, who was clearly unharmed and currently smiling at him. "So much for waking me up. The sun's up."

A dream? It had been a nightmare and Sasuke shook his head to release himself from the trembling that still possessed him. He cursed under his breath, chastising himself for being so careless as to fall asleep. He must have been more tired than he originally thought. Sasuke felt a sudden guilt for dozing off. What if someone had attacked them? What if he had woken up and she hadn't been there? What would he have done, then?

Shrugging her pack onto her shoulder, Sakura stood and surveyed a path before her. "What do you think about heading southeast and making a stop for supplies in the Hidden Valley Village? We could reach it by sundown tomorrow if we're diligent."

Sasuke stood and frowned at her retreating form. She took a few steps before turning to check to see if he was following. "Are you alright, Sasuke?" she asked, concern edging her soft voice as her rose-colored brows furrowed. She tilted her head when he didn't respond.

Sasuke wanted to tell her right then and there that he had changed his mind. He _wasn't_ alright because he was regretting the decision to let her come. He shouldn't have let her step a foot out of that village. _Go home_ , he wanted to say rudely. _Go home, where you'll be safe._ The words wouldn't form so he stalked towards her, and then past her without even offering to take her pack this time. He let silence consume him as the visions of his nightmare haunted him.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sakura was disappointed in how downhill the situation was going between them. She didn't even realize she had formed expectations of traveling with Sasuke until he was walking silently in front of her for an hour, not even attempting to speak to her. What had she expected? Honestly, Sakura had fantasized about this very scenario for two years and had imagined them growing closer during their time together. But here was Sasuke, typically moody and unwavering in his mindset of speechless companionship.

Had she done something wrong? Maybe she had talked too much yesterday. She gave Sasuke his silence for another hour before she couldn't take it anymore.

She smiled and skipped forward until she was level with him as he walked. "I think there's a river coming up. I can cook you some fish, if you're hungry."

"How are you familiar with this area?" he asked immediately, masked regard in his voice. Sakura couldn't miss how he was making a point to not look at her.

Not expecting that reply, Sakura responded timidly, "Well, actually, it's a long story." When Sasuke continued to walk without questioning her further, Sakura decided she'd just tell him. "But, um- we had a mission here. There's an old Akatsuki hideout nearby. Team Guy and Team 7 discovered it when we pursued them after The Kazekage's kidnapping."

Sasuke looked at her then, dark eyebrows up, clearly not expecting her familiarity of the landscape to have such a history. "A hideout? Where?"

"Well it's rubble now," she offered, updating him on the story. "It got destroyed during our fight with Sasori."

A small, unexpected snort came from the Uchiha and he closed his eyes as a smile touched his lips. "That explains how he died, then. He went up against the Kyubi."

"Actually," Sakura smiled, happy to reveal her secret to him. "That was sort of my fault-the destruction."

Sasuke's eyes snapped open again and he faced her fully this time. " _You_ fought Sasori?" He asked it as if he didn't expect her to be able to make much headway in such a battle. She crossed her arms, not sure whether she should be offended.

"Don't act so surprised. I _did_ kick your butt the other day."

"Where was Naruto?" he asked, disregarding her statement entirely. He didn't stop walking and was failing to feign disinterest in her story, pretending to be completely unimpressed.

"After they extracted the Shukaku, Deidara took Gaara's body from the cavern in an attempt to lure Naruto out on his own," she told him. "You know how Naruto is. He took off after him. If it weren't for Kakashi pursuing him, he would have met the same fate as the Kazekage."

Sasuke frowned at this information as he processed it. Sakura opened her mouth to continue when Sasuke asked, "They left you?"

She grinned at the question. She had to be careful, because for a second there, she mistook his question for concern for her. "I wasn't alone. I had Lady Chiyo with me. We faced Sasori together. If it weren't for her, I'd be dead."

He watched her from the corner of his vision as they walked. "What happened?"

Sakura winced at the memory of the blade that erupted from her middle. On reflex, Sakura reached up and brushed her fingers against the scar that marked the spot to the right of her left ribs. The poison had been the worst of it, that feeling of her burning veins as the toxic substance blackened her vision and tried to pull her under. If Lady Chiyo hadn't used the last antidote on her, she wouldn't be here now, telling the tale. She would be forever grateful to the honored puppeteer for fighting alongside her and giving her and Gaara back their futures.

"I took a hit," she replied after a thoughtful minute. "Lady Chiyo saved me."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sasuke took it out on the fish. He targeted them as they flipped above the water, and the kunai he sent through them pinned them fiercely against the tree he was using as a back drop. They probably couldn't eat more than a few fish a piece, but Sasuke killed nine, just because he felt like it.

Sakura's revelation to him earlier had only ignited an anger inside of Sasuke. To think of those bastard Akatsuki members hurting his teammates, had Sasuke sinking back into a pensive disposition. Sakura had almost _died,_ along with the Kazekage. Why was this the first time he was hearing about this? _Because you don't care,_ the old Sasuke's hateful voice resounded in his head. It had been true. It was why he hadn't been there to protect them-to protect her.

Sasuke tried to tell himself that if Kakashi had stayed with her instead of following Naruto, it wouldn't have happened and that it was their fault. But the longer Sasuke kept thinking about it, he turned the blame on himself. If Sasuke had been there, he could have followed Naruto instead, _or_ stayed with Sakura. Whoever this Lady Chiyo was, he was grateful to her for saving the life of his comrade. The guilty part of himself reminded him that he, himself had also tried to kill Sakura at one point in time.

"Sasuke," Sakura called out to him, kindly. "I think that's enough fish, don't you? Want to help me with the fire?"

Sasuke jerked the fish from the kunai and cleared his simmering aura before walking back over to where Sakura sat next to a pile of branches she had constructed into a campfire. Inhaling, he formed the sign and ignited it with a fireball. He handed her the nine fish, sat and leaned back against a log to watch as she skinned them carefully and speared each one, placing it over the fire to cook.

The sun was setting, a bright orange ball on the horizon that was reflecting off the river in a bright orange stripe. Fish continued to dive out of the water for the small fireflies that hovered just above the surface. The sight soothed him slightly, as nature always did.

He sighed, trying to mentally come up with an excuse to not say what he was about to. After a second, Sakura looked over at him and he knew she was seeing right through his guarded behavior to the smoldering emotions beneath his skin. He leaned forward, finding contentment in the sound of the fire and the smell of a cooking meal. He humbled himself in that moment and said, "I'm sorry."

Sakura looked at him through the fire, surprise apparent on her face despite the large flames. Her green eyes were a shocking contrast against the flickering red. "For what?" she asked softly, offering him one of those head-tilted smiles of hers.

"For not being there," he mumbled, looking down at the dirt beneath his crossed legs. "You guys needed me, and I wasn't there."

"Sasuke," she grinned again, and stood. She removed a fully cooked fish from the fire and handed it to him before taking a seat next to him. "We didn't need you. We wanted you there, and we _need_ to know that you are our friend, but we handled it."

Sasuke frowned at her with a sore expression. _That_ kind of stung a little. Sakura nudged his side, laughing. "Stop blaming yourself for things that you had no control over."

"You almost died," he reminded her bluntly. "Maybe if I had-"

"That's the risk of being a shinobi. I wouldn't be one if I wasn't willing to lay down my life for my village." She said it with a voice that reminded the Uchiha of himself, an unwavering conviction that couldn't be argued with. "Maybe, if I had gone into work," Sakura added suddenly, looking down at her hands guiltily, "that child from my clinic wouldn't have committed suicide."

At that, Sasuke focused hard on the flares of the fire, the roasted fish still held untouched in his right hand.

"But that kind of thinking will consume us, Sasuke. We can't think like that," Sakura glanced up at him with a sober gentleness that made his heart beat. "Remember what we talked about in the alley, not too long ago?"

Sasuke nodded, recalling their conversation. He had walked her home after she treated the new citizens that Sasuke had released from the Coliseum. He had been directly responsible for injuries as the result of battling them in order to win their freedom. During his conversation with her, he had told Sakura not to think the best of him. She had responded with " _Let's forget the past."_ She had asked him if they could work on being better shinobi together.

"We just have to learn from our mistakes, try to be the best person and shinobi we can be in the present, and stop blaming ourselves for the past," She leaned forward and grabbed a fish of her own, before leaning back and taking a bite out of it. After she swallowed, she grinned at him again, "And have a little more faith in me, would you? I'm not the girl who needs to be protected anymore. I can take care of myself."

Sasuke had indeed, underestimated her if she had been able to take down Sasori. He knew that Sakura was strong and Sasuke was growing in his admiration for her more and more every day. He _did_ have faith in her abilities; he had witnessed them himself. But that _didn't_ mean he wouldn't worry. It _didn't_ mean that he was going to just let her charge into a battle by herself. And that certainly _didn't_ mean he wasn't going to spend every damn day for the rest of his life making sure no one ever hurt her like that again.


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Note:** Surprise! You get an extra chapter only a couple of weeks apart. The reason is, I will not only be moving into my new house tomorrow, but I'm starting my new job in a couple of weeks and will be relatively busy for quite a while. Just know that I am working on this story in my free time. Here's a new chapter to celebrate the next chapter of my life! :)

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Chapter 17: Overreacting to the Unexpected**

Sakura started to doze heavily beside him, belly full of cooked fish, and a content smile hanging on her face like the crescent in the sky above them. The fire had started fading a while ago but with Sakura so close beside him, he didn't want to jostle her by moving to get more firewood. When she began to drift into sleep moments earlier, the crackle of the fire filling the silence between them, her head had begun to nod ever so slightly in his direction. It was already difficult enough for him to be sitting right next to her, but when her ear suddenly came to a rest on his right arm, Sasuke froze instantly. Half of him wanted to instantly slip away but Sasuke found that there was another part that wanted to stay.

Just a few more seconds, he thought to himself as Sakura curled up against his side. How was she even able to be so close to him without the same hysteria that was currently squeezing the life out of the Uchiha? It's not that Sasuke hadn't let others touch him before. Karin, for example, was over him all the time, but Sasuke hadn't ever felt like this. Hell, even Sakura as his teammate for all those years had held him, jumped on him, supported him, and held his hand. Why was this so different from all those other times?

Peering down at her face, Sasuke asked himself, _What's so wrong about this?_ But then, he remembered why. He recalled those hateful words he spat at Kakashi during the war, right after he had used genjutsu on Sakura to prevent her from following Naruto and himself. _I have no reason to love her, or to be loved by her._ Even though Sasuke had been denying what was between them; even though he had been clinging desperately to his selfish goal, Sasuke had meant what he said. Especially the part about Sakura having absolutely no reason to love him. At that time, there _was_ no reason for either of them to love one another. Sasuke was consumed in darkness and had thought he would _never_ reciprocate her feelings. Never.

How different it was now, when he stared down at her and _felt_ something for her again.

But, Sasuke just couldn't let this happen between them; any of it. He wasn't an idiot. They were alone together on a journey, and even though they were both shinobi focused on a goal, they were still human. If he selfishly allowed this moment, and every other moment that might happen between them play out, he would be betraying his own redemption. He had thought about this before, what would happen to Sakura after all this when he told her he couldn't come home. He would thoroughly devastate her. He would be the worst of all men at that point, and if it were anyone else, Sasuke would probably have killed the bastard for doing it to her.

 _I'm sorry,_ he thought silently before reaching up and supporting her head as he placed her pack under it to support her in his absence. He did it so smoothly that her deep breathing never hitched, and the pink-haired ninja continued to sleep soundly.

Sasuke backed away from her and took up a spot across the dying fire, using it as a mental and physical barrier between them. He watched her silent sleep for a few more minutes before his own eyes grew heavy. He knew that if he fell asleep now, they should be safe. Sasuke had slept silently out in the woods for 2 years. They would be able to rely on their ninja instincts if anything happened.

Or so Sasuke thought, as he finally let sleep take him. When early morning birdsong woke him with the sunrise, Sasuke blinked hard to only find that Sakura was not where he had left her. He sat up straighter, looking around quickly. _Where the hell did she go?_

Her pack was in the same spot, but it was open and supplies were bulging out of it. Sasuke walked over to it and frowned because she wasn't there beside it. No need to overreact, he told himself as he surveyed the land before him, the river twining endlessly through the forest landscape beyond.

Sasuke decided to remind himself right then and there, that Sakura could take care of herself. As he followed the river down the forest, in a near frenzy, he recalled all the times that she had done so: against Sasori, the puppet master; in the Fourth Shinobi World War, a Sanin's pupil like himself; against Kido, when Sasuke had showed up to rescue her and discovered that she had already taken care of everything. She was fine, he told himself, as he stalked through the trees, Sharingan activated and purple chakra emanating off of him in waves.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sakura pulled a clean shirt over her wet skin, the fabric clinging to her sides and arms. She slipped on a fresh pair of shorts, thinner black ones that she had packed because they would be more suited for travelling in the heat. Taking her time, enjoying the sun that kissed the river as it colored the sky the same shade of her hair, Sakura reattached her ninja weapons to her legs and side. As she did so, she smiled, remembering her conversation with Sasuke the night before. She still couldn't believe it, that she was with him, _finally_ walking by his sideafter so long.

When she woke this morning, the sun was still not up. Sakura had stood and smiled when she located Sasuke's sleeping form across the charred remains of their fire. He had that same expressionless face, even in sleep and Sakura had resisted the urge to laugh to herself about it. She always thought that he had to work so hard to keep it that way all the time, but even when he was unconscious, the mask was unwavering.

Sakura took advantage of his sleep by grabbing a few things from her pack and tiptoeing away from the campsite. Now was the only time where she would be able to wash without having to make Sasuke wait on her. She knew that she could just hold out for the village that they'd reach tonight, but to be honest, she felt rather disgusting having gone two days now without a bath. And so, she walked half a mile down the river bank until she felt private enough to strip and slide into the freezing water.

Now, staring at the sunrise, she was giddy to get back, not wanting to miss getting to wake Sasuke up again. But when she started to climb her way back up the bank, she stopped suddenly when she saw Sasuke stomping towards her, a red and purple glare meeting hers.

He stopped just above her, seething, and said nothing.

"What's wrong?" she asked suddenly wary as she yanked a kunai from her weapon's pouch, angling her head around to detect an enemy. Why else would he activate the Sharingan?

"You," he spat, before turning and stalking back in the direction he came from.

"Me?" she asked in astonishment, before hiking up the remainder of the bank to catch up to him. "What did I do?"

"Don't just run off like that," he hissed between his teeth as he looked at her over his shoulder. All she could see was the purple of his Rinnegan.

Sakura balked at his anger but continued to follow him. Was he angry because he woke up and she wasn't there? "Sorry," she offered when he slowed his pace a little. "Didn't mean to upset you. I was just taking a bath."

He continued to walk ahead of her, purposefully _not_ making eye contact with her. "We're in enemy territory now. Don't be naïve and take off on your own like that."

Sakura suddenly wanted to punch him, just to remind him who she was talking to. "Sasuke, I'm a Jonin, remember? And this isn't enemy territory anymore."

After a long sigh, Sasuke just said, "I know. Just do me a favor and let me know before you run off. It's been a long time since I've had to keep up with you."

She poked him hard in the side then, an action that had the Uchiha looking her up and down in disbelief, like he couldn't believe she just did that. "Are you admitting to me that you were worried about me?" Sakura asked with a smirk.

He frowned and blinked at her in irritation. " _No_ ," he breathed. "I'm _worried_ about having to tell Kakashi and Naruto you were killed by some ninja while I looked the other way." He turned and began walking away.

Sakura crossed her arms at that comment and stuck out her tongue. "Maybe, _I'll_ be the one to tell them what happened to _you."_

He scoffed, loudly, and said nothing else as they made their way back towards camp.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sunset couldn't come fast enough. They had made only two stops since this morning during their momentous traveling, and each time, Sakura announced loudly to him, "You going to be okay if I leave you for a minute? I'll scream if I need you." And, "Sasuke, just so you know, I'm okay!" Each time, she returned to his side with that innocent smile of hers and giggled, arms crossed behind her back as she leaned slightly forward.

Damn, annoying woman. As if he wasn't already ashamed of his outburst this morning, it seemed that Sakura was going to take advantage of it every second, not just because it obviously wounded her pride, but because she was relishing in the fact that he had been worried about her.

Sasuke really did feel ridiculous. _Of course_ , Sakura had gone off on her own to bathe or whatever else. He knew how absurd his reaction was the moment he saw her standing on the bank, hair still wet and clothes draping over shoulders and clinging to her curves. If Sasuke hadn't been so pissed off, he would have tried to duck into the trees before she noticed him. Sasuke told himself that his excuse was that he had been on his own for a _long_ time, now. He had forgotten what it was like to wake up in the middle of the night and ignore the fact that one of your teammates had slipped off into the woods. It was normal stuff like that, that Sasuke had never made an issue about. Until this morning, that is.

When Sakura walked ahead of him, arms still tucked with fingers connected behind her, he slowly dragged his fingers down his face in annoyance with his entire situation. He decided he would let her lead for a little while.

When they finally arrived at Tanigakure, Sasuke frowned at the gravel path that slithered down the hillside toward the village built in the deepest part of the valley. The valley walls rose up jaggedly to either side of the town, a bony ribcage surrounding the heart. Now that the sun was setting quickly, the village was lit by the soft twinkling lights of the night vendors.

Sasuke didn't necessarily care for this place. Not only did Sasuke not appreciate the fact that Tanigakure remained a neutral party during the Fourth Shinobi World War, but the history of its development was a tangled web of crime and corruption. Sasuke didn't know much of the details, but apparently the previous leader rose to power through deception and bribery. Sasuke had even heard a rumor a few years back that he had executed many of his own citizens for speaking out against him.

Now, however, the current village head, a man name Magyaku, was the reason the village had turned itself around. Not only was the village now nicknamed "The Land of Peace" thanks to its current savior but was now a competing source of agriculture among the lands.

Sasuke supposed, that Magyaku had made the decision _not_ to join the Allied Shinobi forces, because he wanted peace for his people. The thought still didn't take the bad taste out of his mouth. Sasuke didn't care if they were in a time of peace now, he would distrust and dislike them for their decision to look the other way during the war.

They entered the gates easily, and Sakura smiled kindly at the guards, announcing who they were. What he meant by that, was that Sakura mentioned that they were leaf shinobi and Sasuke relayed that they were just passing through. They received clearance immediately when Sakura mentioned the 6th Hokage, and then revealed that she was a friend of Naruto Uzumaki. It seemed his friend's popularity had even reached this small village. Neither Sasuke nor Sakura mentioned who Sasuke was. It seemed it was an unspoken realization between them that mentioning Sasuke Uchiha's name might have a negative reaction. It wounded his Uchiha pride, but Sasuke put a halt to that risky line of thinking.

Entering side by side, Sasuke and Sakura began walking quietly toward the center of town. Sasuke couldn't help but marvel at the blue-black river that reflected the house lights that glowed on either side of it. While the houses were perched on dirt platforms, cattle grazed on the grassy river bank just below. It was really quite beautiful.

"I'm going down to the medical center, if that's alright," Sakura announced suddenly, turning to face him as soon as they entered. She flashed him a kind, apologetic smile.

"What?" Sasuke asked, stupefied at her sudden desire to run off on her own again.

She began backing away from him and Sasuke stopped and crossed his arms at her explanation. "This village is one of the world's superpowers in medicine. They have some rare herbs that grow here! I'd like to see it in practice."

And the real reason why she wanted to go through here, comes out. Sasuke supposed this was a part of her specific mission, to gather medical intelligence for the Leaf.

"Why don't you find us a place to stay for the night, and I'll meet you when I'm done," she shouted back at him over her shoulder.

Sasuke made to follow her and demand that she stay put, but stopped walking when he registered her command, looking blankly after her. What did she just say? Stay? Sasuke had told the truth back there and had meant it literally. They were _passing through,_ not staying the night.

Sasuke cursed externally and internally. Damn annoying woman.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

It was late already when Sakura had been received by the village hospital. A kind man named Fumio, was actually the head medical ninja here and received Sakura with much enthusiasm. She talked to him for an hour just about the herbs that grew along the rivers that ran through the valley. It was a purple flower called the Grink flower, and it was mixed with a spice to help people with permanent disabilities to manage pain. Sakura was completely enthralled as she watched Fumio prepare the mixture. She took thorough notes and in exchange, gave the man some of her own creation. The pink-haired medic ninja even wrote down the ingredients and instructions for how to make and utilize the burn salve in his hospital.

Walking away with her fists full of the Grink pain prescriptions, Sakura hurried down the street to the only inn that Tanigakure had to offer. Despite it being the only one, it was large and had at least three stories. Eager to tell Sasuke about all that had happened, Sakura made her way to the front desk.

"Hello," the kind, elderly woman at the front desk called out to her as she entered. "How can I help you?" She eyed Sakura's full hands curiously.

"Actually," Sakura began, unsure of what to call Sasuke. They most certainly were _not_ together. They had once been friends, then enemies. They were friends again now, weren't they? She could call him that. "I think that my friend-"

"Oh," the woman blushed, waving a hand at Sakura with half-grin stretching across her face as she laid her opposite palm against her cheek. "That handsome young man, with the spikey black hair? Yes, he came in a while ago. What a beautiful face, that boy has!"

Sakura couldn't resist the twitch that tugged at her strained smile at this woman. "Yeah—um… did he happen to-"

Cut off once again, the dark haired elderly woman looked down at a sheet. "Sakura, right? Your friend said an 'annoying' pink-haired woman by that name would be arriving. That _must_ be you, dear."

Sakura laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. On the inside, Sakura was screaming. _Who does that Uchiha think he is, describing me in that way?_ This was his way of repaying her for running off, she figured.

"Well 'annoying' might not be the exact word I would have used," Sakura replied with a nervous laugh. "Do you know which room he is in?"

"He's in the room next to yours, dear." The lady said, handing Sakura a room key.

As Sakura made her way up the third stairway, she couldn't figure out why she was surprised that Sasuke had gotten a separate room from her. And then she was even more embarrassed for assuming they would share one. She sighed heavily into her splayed fingers. Of course, they wouldn't. It was ridiculous for even thinking it. It wasn't like Team 7 had ever shared one before. Kakashi had always made sure Sakura got a room to herself, while the three boys camped out together in one to save on expenses. Why would Sasuke do anything different? Foolish, _annoying_ Sakura.

When she walked past his door, she stopped and stared at it for a minute before going on to her own. It was late, she told herself. Sasuke probably was already asleep. Sakura was suddenly feeling insecure about leaving him on his own while she went off to the hospital. She didn't want to annoy him any more than she already had, so she closed her door tightly behind her.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sasuke jerked his head up from the map he was labeling when he heard the door down the hall open and shut. It was eleven o' clock at night, and Sakura was just going straight to bed? After he had waited up all this time, to make sure she made it back safely, she had decided to just retire without saying a word to him. Hmm, Sasuke thought to himself. He half expected her to come knocking on his door with the excuse of wishing him goodnight.

 _Why do you care?_ That condescending voice resounded from inside of him. _I don't,_ he replied, straightening the map out on the table with his hands. He ignored his mild irritation and continued to mark the path that they had traveled from Konoha. He charted how much ground they had left before reaching Sunagakure. It wasn't like Sasuke needed to do this. The Uchiha knew exactly how long it would take them to get there; he had traveled there before. The fact of the matter was, Sasuke had to find something to do in order to refocus on the pressing issue of the Otsutsuki race.

Even though Sasuke's primary aim was to locate all of the dimensions, he also wanted to discover all of Kaguya's connections. Sasuke wanted to find the cracks in the space-time dimensions without having to rely on the Rinnegan. He also wanted to know the answers to these questions: Where would an enemy most likely infiltrate? Where could they all relocate in the case of an attack? Who would continue to be their allies if something so terrible as Kaguya showed up on their planet? He wanted to find out anything and everything about the Otsutsuki race that might give them even a small advantage.

After marking out the areas he had traveled to in the last 2 years, Sasuke circled specific locations that still held Sasuke's interest for various reasons. Sunagakure was first on his list because the Kazekage was the Leaf's number one ally. Konaha had had difficulties with the village in the past, especially with Orochimaru's plot to destroy the village. However, Orochimaru had manipulated the Sand shinobi by killing the Kazekage and using his body during the chunin exams, so they were just following orders. Ever since that time, Sasuke would say that Konoha and Sunagakure had worked well with one another, especially now that Gaara was the Kazekage. Sasuke was suddenly remembering the talk that Gaara had with him back during the Kage summit.

 _It's not too late for you. Don't fall into a world possessed by hatred. You won't be able to return._

 _So…? If I come back, what is there for me?_

 _Sasuke, you and I are alike. We have walked through the darkness of this world. That is why we are able to see even a sliver of light. Both back then, and even now._

Even though he had been cold and told Gaara he had closed his eyes long ago, Gaara had been right. Naruto had shown him that sliver of light. He had found it and had somehow crawled through it out of the darkness. Barely. Just barely had he been able to return. Gaara had been right.

Sasuke honestly hoped he would receive a welcome from the Kazekage despite having ended on bad terms with him.

Sasuke caught himself listening closely to the sound of running water coming through the wall. She had to be showering which settled Sasuke's anxiety. It seemed she was okay, then. He didn't understand why he was suddenly trying to come up with an excuse to walk down the hall and knock on her door. That wouldn't be like him at all. Sasuke didn't necessarily want to have separate rooms, simply because it was a pain to make the effort to communicate with her, but he didn't dare tell the lady downstairs they would be sharing one. Not only was it indecent, but Sasuke knew Sakura needed space. Hell, _he_ needed space from _her._ He was already having a hard time concentrating on his mission, he couldn't imagine the distraction she'd be in the same hotel room.

And then, Sasuke heard a set of footsteps coming down the hall towards him. The knock that followed wasn't on his door, but on Sakura's. Sasuke stood from the tiny writing desk and stalked across the room and stared down at his doorknob contemplating whether or not he should open it to see who it was. Another knock on her door had Sasuke swinging it open. When Sasuke looked one door down, his icy glare sharpened at the dark headed man who stood in front of it. Sasuke recognized the tools strapped to his hip that identified him as a ninja. The stranger was leaning back away from Sakura's shut door to look further down the hallway to the right.

"Can I help you?" Sasuke asked icily, resting his side against the frame to communicate that he was content to stand there.

"Oh," the man said, whipping his head back around to assess Sasuke's figure. The ninja raised a hand in greeting and flashed the Uchiha a grin. "A friend of mine is expecting me. I think she locked me out."

Sasuke took a step out of his room and fingered his kunai pouch with his right fingers. "I think you have the wrong room," he responded coldly. He certainly didn't recognize this man. He was tall, dark headed and wore a single glove on his left hand. Whoever this guy was, Sasuke would be damned if he just let him stand there knocking on Sakura's door all night. Surely, she hadn't invited a "friend" to her room in the past few hours. The Sakura he knew would never do something like that. Either this man was lost, or he was lying.

"Oh," the man said again, squinting at the faint room number on the green door. He turned back to Sasuke with an embarrassed smile. "You're right. My mistake, I'm a digit off. A friend of yours staying here?"

"That's really none of your business," Sasuke spat at him, completely disinterested in making small talk to a man who was currently a threat. "Now get lost."

The man raised his hands in apology. "Alright," the ninja said before turning and retreating the way he'd come. Sasuke's gaze followed him until he no longer heard the sound of his shoes going down the three flights of stairs. He listened closely to the old clerk's voice as she said goodbye to the man. Sasuke grit his teeth at the fact that the ninja didn't stop at another room. Whether the man was simply stood up or had followed Sakura, he didn't care. Whenever a shower disheveled Sakura opened the door a second later to see who was there, Sasuke immediately turned back toward his room.

"Was that you who knocked?" Sakura asked following him and looking in through the doorway, unease apparent on her face. She was fisting a white towel around clumps of her hair. "What is it? Is there something wrong?"

Sasuke grabbed the map off the table and gathered the rest of his things. Sakura gawked at him when he shoved past her and marched into _her_ room. The Uchiha held open the door for her and said nothing when she came back in and Sasuke locked the door behind them. He tossed his things onto the floor and threw a pillow next to them. Decency and distraction be damned.

"Sasuke? What happened?" Sakura asked, reaching out worriedly and taking his fingers. He jerked them away immediately and snarled at her, his temper and shame getting the better of him. She frowned at him and Sasuke turned his face to hide his flush from her. Now was not the time to allow any physical contact between them even slightly. He took up a spot on the floor and turned his back to her.

"It's nothing" he said without a trace of emotion in his voice. "It doesn't make sense to waste money on two rooms. Now go to sleep."

Sasuke was embarrassed with himself for the behavior that he was continuing to display out of his concern for her. First this morning, and again, now. She was driving him mad just by being on this mission with him, and Sasuke was suddenly wondering how often things like this happened when she was on her own. He hated this whole situation and wished the uncaring Sasuke could take over for just a little bit. If that bastard would have just minded his own business, they would be sleeping peacefully in separate rooms right now. Sasuke scowled when he felt Sakura sit next to him on the floor.

She stopped drying her hair and said quietly, "I had a feeling someone was following me after I left the hospital earlier."

Sasuke sat up on his elbows, his right shoulder in alignment with hers. They were facing opposite walls. "Why didn't you say something?" he asked incredulously. She should have told him that! He could have prepared himself more. He wouldn't have let that man walk away. Sasuke might have even killed him. And with that thought, Sasuke understood why she didn't say anything.

"I could have handled it," she said, raising her chin to look him in the face. Sasuke's gaze suddenly softened at her fierceness. Stubborn, infuriating woman, who was trying to leave him out of things. Sasuke couldn't help but take her all in. The way she looked in something that wasn't red and white, made him blink twice at the nightclothes. And that darker shade of pink her hair took on when it was wet had him quickly looking away. He chastised himself immediately. This was the beginning to his end. Even if Sakura could have taken care of that man on her own, it was worth all of this mess just to make sure that man never set eyes on her like this.

Sasuke clenched his fists. _"_ If there's a ninja following you, it could mean that we are being watched because we are outsiders. But if he's trying to enter your room- I just know that it's not good." Sasuke wanted to track this man down just to have the answers. Even if it was a time of peace, Sasuke shouldn't have let that man just walk away.

Sakura smiled, which irritated Sasuke because he didn't understand how she could be so relaxed about all this. She replied, "I planned on figuring that out if he came here. You just beat me to it."

 _Because taking a shower at that exact moment, especially when you think someone is following you, is a smart way to 'figure things out.'_ He contained that comment but sighed irritably in response.

"And besides," she continued, "He might have just been curious to know who I was. Or, he probably mistook me for someone else."

With that pink hair? Sasuke doubted it. And someone who was 'curious' didn't follow you to your lodgings and knock on your door. The ninja would have approached her in the street if that were the case. It was probably more like that the man knew who they were or knew Sakura's value to Konoha- specifically to Kakashi, the Leaf's Hokage, to Naruto, the jinchuriki of the Kyubi, or to Sasuke, the last of the Uchiha. Sasuke reminded himself how Kido had captured Sakura in an effort to lure Sasuke back to the village. Who knew what someone's intentions toward her might be, and Sasuke just didn't want to risk finding them out.

"I'll stay here tonight, just in case he comes back," Sasuke said resolutely, laying back down and turning his back to Sakura. "It's probably better that we stay together for as long as we are in enemy territory."

"I agree," Sakura said with a teasing, smiling voice. "I wouldn't want you to be in danger. I can protect you better if we are in the same room."

Sasuke scoffed into his pillow. Twice. He said nothing else for the rest of the night. Did nothing else but lay on the ground pretending to sleep for hours.


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note:** Sorry for such a long wait. It's not the longest chapter but rest assured because Chapter 19 is already 30% finished! Thanks again for your patience. Keep reading and letting me know what you think. The recent feedback has been really encouraging and I can't wait to dig into the details of this story.

P.S. Forewarning, things might take an adventurous turn now that we are in this "place."

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Chapter 18: A Bond Not Completely Severed**

Sasuke was dodging puppets, weaving in and out between their closely assembled bodies. They were spinning swords and launching poisoned shuriken in his direction and he was fighting them off desperately, trying to get to her.

"Sakura!" he screamed, running towards the red-headed puppet master who was holding her up on the end of his blade. Spewing blood, she stared at Sasori's face with wide-eyes, and asked, "Why?"

"Stop!" he tried to scream but it wasn't his voice that echoed across the cavern. Kakashi? Kakashi was the one who was running now, but towards Sasuke, screaming at him in order to prevent the Uchiha from what he was about to do. "Sasuke, stop!"

Sasuke turned back to locate Sakura again, but instead, he found her throat between _his_ fingers. "Why?" she choked again, the crimson blood from her lips spilling out onto his wrist. He realized that it wasn't Sasori who was killing her, but _himself._ A poisoned dagger-the one he had snatched from her- was thrust through her stomach. At the sight, a terrible laugh bellowed up from his very own chest.

 _Kill her_ , a voice said inside his head. _Sever the bond._

… _.._

Sasuke was pulled from the nightmare like a dead man resuscitated back to life. Sakura was leaning over him on the floor, shaking him.

"What is it?" he sighed irritably. And then hushed immediately when he realized that she had a panicked look on her face. Her gaze focused on the wall across from them, and it took Sasuke a hazy second to register the muffled voices that were coming through the wall of Sasuke's old hotel room.

The voices were faint, a whisper that only a ninja would have been able to detect. It was a harsh, frustrated hiss of an individual and the barely-audible squeaking hinge of the door next to theirs, that made Sasuke understand their current situation.

"Someone is-" she began. Alarm bolted through every nerve in Sasuke's body, and he shot up and covered Sakura's mouth with his right hand before she could say more. She gaped at him with fearful eyes as the door knob to their room began to twist slowly. Someone had _just_ been in Sasuke's rented room and now stood just outside.

Was it that bastard with the black glove that he had met earlier in the hall? _So_ , if they had gone to his room first, then Sasuke _had_ been the target. Not Sakura herself.

Within seconds, the door was compromised with a splintering _CRACK_ and two masked men charged into the room. It was hard to see them in the pitch dark, but with his active Sharingan, Sasuke could faintly make out ninja headbands with an unrecognizable symbol. And then, Sasuke cursed himself for not having acted sooner, because the enemy acted first, and ninja weapons were sent swiftly towards their kneeling forms.

 _Shit!_

Sakura immediately angled her body to dodge, but Sasuke released her mouth and held her close to prevent her from moving. The Uchiha closed his right eye and focused his chakra to his Rinnegan. Immediately, a spiraling, purple portal opened up behind Sakura and the Uchiha ducked his shoulder and dove forward, clutching the startled pink-haired ninja as the two of them tipped over into the vortex. As they plummeted, Sasuke twisted their bodies around so that he was able to watch the black tear in the space seal back shut just before the ninja could follow them through.

A couple of shuriken, however, _did_ make it through, and Sasuke clasped his female companion close to him, barely able to angle them so that the weapons flew past them on either side. He had to act quickly! They were falling!

"Sasuke!" Sakura screamed into his shoulder, terrified as the red ground was rising up to meet them. The portal had appeared at the same height in this dimension that their room had been at the top level of the hotel building. Which meant that the two of them had several stories of air between them and the ground. A space that would be crossed within a matter of a few seconds.

As the thick air of the new climate rushed around their bodies, Sasuke spun again so that Sakura's back was to the ground and he hovered a few inches above her.

"What are you-?!" she screamed, as Sasuke released her with his only arm and used his hand to reach into his weapons pouch. He launched a single kunai past her toward the burgundy dunes beneath them. The metal blade stuck in a soft spot of sand below and Sasuke once again narrowed his Rinnegan eye. Closing the space between them once more, he grabbed onto Sakura's waist and the falling pair flickered in the green sky and disappeared.

Sasuke was suddenly on his feet, having used his teleportation ability to trade places with the kunai. However, now the kunai was racing in the sky towards them. Still holding Sakura, Sasuke dropped in order to dodge the falling blade, and together, they skidded down the hard sand of the dune's side.

They came to a stop several feet away and below from the kunai's intended target—inches from where they stood a second ago. It was a risky gamble, but the fact that the two of them were unharmed, and not splattered on the ground of this dimension, made Sasuke sigh in relief.

He rested on his back and let his head fall back against the ground with a thump. "This is all your fault."

" _My_ fault?!" Sakura asked incredulously, rolling out of his open arms, and sitting up to look down at him. "How is this my fault?"

Sasuke stood and swiped at the copper dust that clung to his cloak. Looking down at her, he accused, "Because if _you_ hadn't run off yesterday, and announced yourself to every citizen you met, then no one would have followed you to our hotel."

"Excuse me?" Sakura growled up at him, which Sasuke returned with a hard, fixed glare. "I did no such thing!"

She rose to her feet and came to stand next to him. "If _you_ weren't so hard to wake, we could have evaded this _entire_ situation!"

Sasuke grit his teeth at the statement and bitterly retorted, " _I_ wanted to pass through the village. _You_ insisted that we stayed the night."

Sakura frowned, then just said, "We could have handled them."

Sasuke feigned indifference and arrogantly mocked with "Hn." She glowered but he didn't give her a chance to respond; he walked off.

Of course, she followed.

Sasuke surveyed the land around them. It had been awhile since he had had enough chakra to reach the core dimension that served as the central connection between all the other dimensions. Why _had_ he brought them here instead of handling the situation back in that hotel room? Now that he was thinking about it, it would have made much more sense to teleport with the man closest to the door and then surprised the other from behind with a killing blow. He felt like a coward, having ducked into this realm and avoided the entire confrontation altogether.

Sakura was right. Coming here was _his_ fault. He had tried to blame her and reason with himself that it was just instinct that had caused him to do this. He had been scared, which resulted in his knee-jerk reaction to get them as far away as possible. But why? Sasuke blamed that horrible dream he had just had which kept him from reacting to the threat sooner. The whole thing had thrown him off his game-no, _she_ was throwing him off. If she weren't here with him, he wouldn't be having these dreams where he was concerned for her safety. And just now, Sasuke had been so desperate to remove her from the life-threatening situation that he had spent the last of his expendable chakra reserves to get her to the farthest place he could think of. Why didn't he just eliminate the ninja in that moment?

Sasuke ran a hand down his face. _Damn._

Were these nightmares all because of the bond that was growing stronger between them? The bond he had tried to sever that day when Sasuke had meant to kill her. These unwanted scenes that were merging with tale and memory were tormenting him. Watching other people repeatedly attack her and then seeing himself take her life, was all because of his damn guilt. Was he trying to protect her now, because he owed it to her?

 _Ugh,_ see _,_ why was he even thinking like this?! It's not like he cared back when they were fighting Madara and she impaled herself on his black receiver rod. Instead, Sasuke had taken advantage of the diversion, rushing past her to deliver Madara a blow. Naruto was the one to catch and aid the kunoichi after Madara had sent all three of them flying backwards. Hell, he even let Kakashi save Sakura from falling into the lava in Kaguya's volcano dimension.

Sakura was following him closely, asking him questions he wasn't even listening or responding to. He marched ahead, looking at the green sky above him and the maroon mountainous terrain around them and beneath his stomping feet.

To add to his list of corrupt choices, Sasuke recalled his thoughts during the last time that he and Sakura were here together. Yes, she and Obito had opened the portal between this space and the hot, desert dimension where Sasuke had been trapped. In all honesty, when he first saw his rescuers, his first gut reaction was to replace himself with one of _them._ What had kept him from that resolution, was the fact that if he had separated the two, the portal might have collapsed before he could have even made the exchange.

Fortunately, Sakura's vest had been laying there on the ground next to her and Sasuke didn't _have_ to replace himself with one of the people who had saved him. But in his defense, Sasuke _had_ chosen to look for an alternative, which was proof that he was changing for the better even in that second. Okay, maybe he couldn't have gone through with replacing himself with _Sakura,_ but Obito had definitely been an option.

Sasukerecalled the way in which he supported Sakura in her chakra-depleted state right after that. At the time, Sasuke was telling himself that it was only gratitude. A very small sense of gratitude that he had had for her for bringing him back. Nothing else.

Recalling it now, Sasuke would be lying to himself if he said that it was only gratitude. There was always something between them, he supposed. Even during moments when he truly believed their bond was severed; when he treated her less than she deserved; when he was cruel, unresponsive to her feelings, and wanted to kill her.

"Hey!" Sakura, who had been trying to talk to him this whole time, placed herself in front of his marching form. "Are you even listening?"

"What?" he spat, his annoyance with her apparent on his face.

She looked up at him with worry on her face. "What's going on with you? What's wrong?"

 _You!_ He wanted to say. _You are what's wrong! You and your damn stubborn resolution to be involved with me._

"I just used all of my chakra reserves to bring us here," The Uchiha grumbled instead. "I'm annoyed about it." He pushed past her again, continuing his trek.

 _No,_ he admitted to himself. He, himself- or rather, who he _was_ \- was Sasuke's problem.

….

Sakura followed the stalking Uchiha as they made their way across the foreign landscape. Well, it wasn't entirely foreign. She had been here before during their battle with Kaguya, back when Obito had brought them here along with Naruto's clone, in order to bring Sasuke back to the battle in the ice dimension.

Sakura didn't necessarily like this place. The air was neither hot nor cold, but it felt strange—like there was just enough air to inhale, but not enough to take more than short, limited breaths. The sun was currently dim through the green atmosphere, just enough light where they could see, but not enough that it could be considered bright. Everything about this place was completely on the edge. Sakura did _not_ like it.

Not to mention, that it also reminded her of their battle with Kaguya and the many lives lost in the war. This place also reminded Sakura that the threat of the Otsusuki clan was still very _real_ and not something that disappeared in the past along with Kaguya's defeat. This threat was what kept Sasuke from a happy life in the village.

It did have one good memory though. When she thought of this place, Sakura couldn't help but remember the sensation of Sasuke supporting her against him when she had felt like she had failed him. The Uchiha had borne her weight as she recuperated her strength after having spent all of her chakra in order to save him. It was something a friend would have done—something the Sasuke _she knew_ would have done.

Despite the memory, Sakura still loathed this place.

So why? Why had Sasuke chosen to bring them here?

She wanted to ask him, but his mood was foul, and he was currently stalking forward, not caring if she followed him or not. Where he was taking them, she had no idea. Sasuke had been exploring these dimensions for years now, so Sakura knew that he must have a final destination in mind.

Sasuke had said he was annoyed about the amount of chakra it had taken him to teleport. Did this statement mean that they were trapped here?

Despite his mood, Sakura jogged to catch up with him, a difficult feat considering the up and down momentum she was having to regulate on this uneven ground.

"Sasuke?" she asked him, "Where are we going?"

He didn't answer, just trudged ahead with that unwavering focus. So, she did something she knew would get his attention. She reached out, and gingerly took hold of the fingers of his right hand.

She expected him to stop or to freeze, but instead, he spun on her with a wrath she wasn't quite anticipating. "Stop doing that!"

The kunoichi recoiled, embarrassed and frustrated. She immediately withdrew her hand back to her chest. "Why won't you tell me what's going on? You're starting to act like the Sasuke I don't know."

His eyes got wide at that comment and he immediately looked away from her.

Sakura needed answers. She needed to know what their current situation was-some sort of affirmation that everything was going to be okay-that he wasn't mad at her because he blamed her for this.

"Did you know those people, Sasuke?" she asked, quieting her voice and clutching her rejected hand to her chest. "Why were they after us?"

The silence continued and there was no response. He must be truly upset with her about this.

"Look, I'm sorry I told the guards at the entrance we were leaf shinobi and associated with Naruto. I'm sorry I went to the medic center. I promise that I didn't tell anyone who you were-"

"It's not your fault," he interrupted, which surprised Sakura. It always astonished her when he said things like this. "They're after _me._ Due to my reputation, I'm not the most difficult person to recognize. You just happen to be with me so you're being targeted."

Sakura stared at him in open shock. Did he really believe that way? She took a step towards him, afraid that he would retreat into his shell of silence again if she didn't keep him talking. "But _why_? Why are they after you?" she asked.

"Because of who I am and what I've done," he said, rotating his back to her and walking again. This time, he slowed so she could keep up. "I've pissed a lot of people off. Who knows why they're after me."

Sakura strode quickly by his side. His hair fell into his eyes as he ducked his head. There was a long silence before he spoke again. "This is why, Sakura. This is why I have to stay away from the village as much as possible right now. I have too many enemies."

"I'm here, though." she whispered to him, leaning in to elbow him. "I can help you."

"I don't want-" he began but held his tongue. He didn't have to finish for Sakura to know what he meant to say. _I don't want you here._ The words felt like a blow to her heart.

She stopped in her tracks.

Sakura didn't understand. She didn't understand _why_ Sasuke didn't want her here, next to him. Was she wrong about all of this? There were times when Sakura believed Sasuke might actually love her back. Times like just a few short hours ago when a stranger knocked on her door, and the Uchiha had stormed into her room announcing that it was "pointless to spend money on two rooms." Or how yesterday morning, when Sasuke came looking for her in the woods because he woke up to her missing. Maybe Sakura was misinterpreting it all. Maybe it was just concern for a friend that had him acting this way.

Sometimes she wanted to just give up and let the stubborn Uchiha have his damn, lonely way. But it wasn't in her to give up because she just _couldn't_ let him go. Couldn't remove him from her heart. And when he acted this way towards her, she couldn't bring herself to smother out the hope that bloomed in her chest. This undying love for him often felt like an undying curse.

"It's just that-" the Uchiha began, and Sakura glanced up to see him standing still just a few feet in front of her. He peeked back at her guiltily for a second through his black curtain of bangs. If Sakura would have blinked, she would have missed it. She waited anxiously for him to continue.

"It's easier when I'm by myself," he continued, "Just because I only have to worry about myself."

There it was again. That hope in her chest; that undying curse. What _was_ Sasuke feeling when he said things like that?

All anger evaporating from within her, Sakura closed the distance between them and poked him in the side-something she was finding quite enjoyable when he made that ' _how dare you'_ expression. "Are you sure it's not because I'm annoying?"

He scoffed and brushed her hand off of him. Their fingers touched for a long, lingering second. To Sakura, it wasn't long enough. Their eyes met too, but then Sasuke blinked and retracted his hand gradually as he purposefully avoided her gaze. Was that lasting touch supposed to be an apology for earlier, or was she reading too much into it?

"That's the main reason," he snorted loudly before walking off again.

She glowered. Yep, she was reading too much into it.

Sakura stuck her tongue out at him behind his back. She let out a quiet sigh and watched him walk away, content to hang back a few feet as they continued forward. Silently and to herself, Sakura cradled her burning fingertips.

…..

Sasuke trailed onward, an annoyed expression permanently glued to his face. If he let the mask slip even a little bit, his expression might give him away. After what had just passed between them, Sasuke didn't look back at his companion even once. Silently, and concealed by his cloak, Sasuke was running his thumb over his middle and ring fingers. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't rub away the tingling sensation.


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note:** Sorry for such a long wait. Thanks again for your patience. I try to update during the school breaks. I'll try to update again during Thanksgiving break or will at least be working on it. Keep reading and letting me know what you think. All of your feedback helps motivate me as a writer to keep writing.

P.S. Going off of research, I am trying my best to not take too many liberties with Kaguya's dimensions but am sticking closely to what we already know about them. Let me know what you think.

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Chapter 19: Face Value**

Sasuke stopped his long trek in the Kaguya's core dimension.

Finally, they reached the spot he was searching for. It was a small tower, a lookout that Sasuke had stumbled upon during his investigation of this realm a year ago. Being the link to all the other dimensions, Sasuke wasn't surprised that there was a base here. What he _had_ been confused about, was that the tower was shorter and built parallel to a mountain that rose above it-not really an ideal spot for a lookout. It was also the same color as the red mountain that it was assembled against, as if it were constructed to be concealed rather than used to spot enemies. Realizing this, Sasuke had assumed it was one of Kaguya's hideouts rather than a battle fort. This just strengthened his belief that Kaguya was fearful-afraid of something more powerful than herself.

"What is this place?" Sakura asked beside him as they peered up at it.

Sasuke made for the entrance, a discreet crack between the mountain wall and the tower's side fortification. It could only be seen from behind one of the large boulders flanking the cylinder framework. No one who didn't know it was there, would be able to find it.

"I think it was one of Kaguya's holes she liked to crawl in when she wasn't causing terror back in our world."

"Oh," she gulped. Sasuke smirked and motioned for her to follow.

"It's safe," he reassured her. She stumbled after him.

They had been walking for hours since their last conversation. Sasuke had felt just a little bit guilty for his comment earlier about not wanting her with him for this (even if it was true, he shouldn't have told her) and not to mention the way he reacted when she had grabbed his hand. It was because of his guilt, that had Sasuke trying to smooth things over by teasing her and then letting his fingers remain too long against hers. To be honest, he had been afraid she would never grab his hand again… And it was thoughts like _this_ that made it essential for Sasuke to prevent any further touches like that between them.

"How did you find this tower?" Sakura asked when they slipped behind the large rock and discovered the crack that led to a narrow cavern.

"By accident," he responded. There was nothing else to explain. Now, how he found the entrance? That was a puzzle that took him a full day to put together.

Once they made it inside the connecting cave, the darkness engulfed all of their senses, consuming any light that made it through the fracture. On instinct, Sasuke activated his Sharingan which helped his vision in this blackness. Sakura, however, was walking slowly and cautiously behind him.

Sasuke turned and carefully grabbed under Sakura's arm so she wouldn't make a wrong step in the darkness. He told himself that this was okay, considering he was helping her. And it would be a pain, if she got injured and slowed them down even further.

"You are certainly brave." Sakura announced, her voice echoing off the cavern. She kept her hand on the wall as Sasuke helped her maneuver her way to the entrance.

"Ninja aren't supposed to be scared of the dark," he teased her.

The Uchiha could just picture her glare when she replied, "I'm _not."_

Sasuke let go of her arm when they made it to the door at the end of the tunnel. He pushed firmly against it and the bottom of the door grated against the floor with a loud scuffing sound. It had been awhile since anyone had entered.

Even when the door opened, there was no light. Why?-Because there wasn't a single window crafted into this tower. Sasuke had learned that the first time he came here. If he hadn't been so accustomed to navigating Orochimaru's hideouts, he would have never discovered the torch hidden on the back of the door-which he grabbed and lit with a spark of his fire style. It was a flame that burned up more of his fading chakra.

"The darkness is all a part of this place's design," he communicated to a curious Sakura. "Kaguya didn't want anyone finding the entrance. And if they did, the darkness was meant to deter them from reaching the top."

"I see," she replied, shielding her eyes from the sudden brightness of the flame. Their faces were a lot closer than they had expected, and they both immediately took a step back away from each other.

"But why is this place even here?" Sakura quickly asked, peering into the darkness that circled their sphere of firelight.

"I believe," Sasuke replied, leading the way by flame. A few embers left a trail as he walked, "it's because Kaguya needed a place to rest when she ran out of chakra."

She nodded and bit her knuckle in deep thought. "Obito _did_ tell me that it was an immense time-space to connect and travel to, and that it would require a lot of chakra to do so. It would make sense if she had to hole up somewhere in-between."

"My thoughts exactly," he announced when they came upon a stairway. The only strange thing about it was that the first step was 7 feet off the ground. Someone feeling their way around in the dark wouldn't have been able to locate it. When Sasuke had first found it, he had mused that the attempt to hide it had failed, considering how easily he had found it.

Sasuke jumped up and landed on the terrace with two feet. He turned to reach down to help Sakura, but she was already behind him. He jerked his hand back under his cloak before she noticed. Even though Sasuke considered her his equal, he found himself falling back into his old ways of attending to her like Sasuke, Naruto, and even Kakashi had when they were genin.

It seemed that Sakura was analyzing this funhouse, too, for she laughed to herself and said "It's like she wanted to mess with someone's head."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked, wondering what secret Sakura thought she was on to.

"This stairway is a distraction," she said suddenly. "If someone happened to find the stairwell, they would think that they had outsmarted Kaguya by doing so, despite it being 7 feet off the ground. They would come this way, thinking that it was the entrance they weren't supposed to notice. I mean, that's what it seems like-a trick."

"What are you talking about?" he asked incredulously, squeezing through another discreet crevice to the right of the top step. On the other side was another stairwell, except it was above the exit you just came out of. So in order to find it, you would have to turn and look up as soon as you finished the firt stairwell, in order to find it.

"Think about it. What's the point of it? The entrance and even the torch was hidden in a place where if someone looked hard enough, they would be able to find it."

She jumped and grabbed the bottom step of the new stairwell and swung herself inside. "This is a joke!"

Sasuke's eyebrows rose. This all made perfect sense. This place wasn't a hideout, like he had thought. It was a maze. When he had first located the tower, Sasuke had analyzed every corner. There wasn't a single thing in this place. If Sakura was right, then this probably wasn't Kaguya's hideout at all, but a fake. If Kaguya's enemy found this, they were supposed to be distracted by this place, thinking they were one step closer to having her in their grasp, all while being led on a wild goose chase. This would be a perfect scenario if Kaguya were to make a quick get away.

The design wasn't supposed to keep people from discovering it; it was just difficult enough so that when someone did, they thought that they weren't meant to. _So_ , he hadn't found it by accident at all. It was subtly thrown in your face. Brilliant. Sasuke had completely fell for it.

Sakura, however, had realized it immediately. Sasuke had truly forgotten how perceptive she was. Her discernment was truly off the charts. And to think he had been stumbling blindly for years, believing everything for it's face value. How much time had Sasuke wasted in this dimesion only, not including the others?

"The good news is," Sakura voiced in the dark, a step behind him now. "that there are probably several places out here like this, so if anyone's looking for us, they have a few to choose from."

Sasuke scowled. It was one of his biggest frustrations, but he had never found anyone else out in any of these dimensions. Each one was deserted. It was also his greatest relief that he _hadn't_ come across anyone yet. It was that double-sided coin where he didn't want to _ever_ find someone with the hope that the threat wasn't real, but yet, he searched for it because he wanted to eliminate it.

After the fifth set of stairs and several more obscure-but not _that_ obscure-passageways, they came to a small chamber. It was a round, somewhat duty space, not larger than 15 feet in diameter. Their light barely illuminated it, revealing the dun-colored stone walls and floor. Besides the carved swirls etched into the stone, there was nothing else in the room. It was the end of the road. Sasuke set the torch in a hook, then slumped down the wall and sighed, completely exhausted from using his Rinnegan.

"We're stopping?" Sakura asked.

"I need to rest for a few minutes." he admitted, embarrassed because his pride stung by having to do so. She responded by sitting down across from him, as far away as she could get without leaving the room. Which bothered the Uchiha. It had to be because he snapped at her earlier. It was probably for the best.

"I had chakra pills in my bag, but it's back in the hotel room," she replied across from the wide space between them. He could barely see her because she sat just outside the firelight's circumference. "Sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" he grumbled, feigning annoyance.

She dropped her voice as if she were trying to be less noisy to avoid bothering him. "If you need my chakra to get back, you can have it. . . _All_ of it."

Sasuke remembered her Strength of a Hundred Seal that she inherited from Tsunade, and how she had used it in combination with Obito's Kamui to rescue Sasuke from Kaguya's desert dimension. "No," he replied immediately. That would only leave her vulnerable. "We'll just spend some time here until I recover."

"Is this how it always is?" she asked boldly and Sasuke frowned. "Do you have to rest after you use the Rinnegan each time?"

"It's unwise," he began, trying to play this answer where he still came out looking good, "to travel to more than one dimensions at a time. I have to reserve just enough chakra in case I come across an enemy. It's not enough to go back in one go. After I rest for the night, I should have enough to send us back soon."

"We could stay," Sakura offered, fingering the ends of her hair shyly. Her statement had Sasuke jerking up his head to acknowledge her statement in surprise. Why would she possibly be offering to stay in this horrible place? "I could help you, you know. It's _why_ I am here. It's not my intention to be a useless weight to you."

"Sakura-" he began, then stopped. Could they stay? If Sakura were with him, maybe he'd be able to find out something important he had missed. Was that a selfish thought? Using her genius to help his goal? That's something the old Sasuke would do, wasn't it?

"No," he continued. "Staying here for too long, is a risk."

"Even if it's just a couple of days?"

"No."

She leaned forward, her face finally coming into the light. "But-"

He snapped again, "I'm not risking it." He glared at her, daring her to argue with him again. She had that stubborn set to her jaw that made Sasuke panic.

His voice grew quiet as he explained. "It was foolish of me to bring you here. You're in _more_ danger here, than you were back in that hotel room. You were never supposed to come back here. I'm sorry."

"See," Sakura said, pulling her chin to her chest, resigned to let him have his way. "It's when you say stuff like that, that I—"

She bit her tongue to stop her speech and looked up at him to gauge whether or not she should finish what she was about to say. Sasuke didn't ask, and Sakura didn't offer anything more than a redirected gaze. After a minute, she leaned back against the wall and her face was shrouded in darkness again. The only thing Sasuke could see was the outline of her shadow and her illuminated legs as they were crossed at the ankle.

"We'll go back in the morning," he finally spoke. The flame was dying and Sasuke didn't have the energy to keep it lit. Fortunately this place was neither hot nor cold, so they wouldn't freeze to death without a fire.

He expected her to argue; to say that they had unfinished business here, but she didn't. All she said was, "To the Sand, it is." Sasuke nodded and leaned his head back against the wall.

….

How could she convince Sasuke to let her help him? How could she make him realize that Kaguya had created an elaborate mouse trap when she made these dimensions? The more Sakura thought about all of the different realms and thought back at her time in them, the more firmly Sakura believed there was a secret to them.

All these thoughts Sakura had as she watched Sasuke drift off to sleep. The Uchiha had taken an arms-crossed, eyes-closed, casual posture against the far wall, and it took her a minute to realize he had actually fallen asleep since there was no change in his stance to indicate the shift. Sasuke often had the likeness of a statue without any feelings.

She sighed quietly to herself. Sakura had almost told him that when Sasuke sounded worried for her, she often believed him to have feelings for her. She almost confessed how confused he often made her and that he reminded her of this place: full of tricks. Sakura didn't know if she should be trying to figure out if his feelings were more complex than what he displayed to her. Sasuke, too, was a mystery that Sakura just couldn't figure out.

And if she couldn't figure him out, how could she ever hope to help him reach his goal? Sakura had been excited when she realized the purpose of this tower. She had felt useful to him for just a minute, until he had told her that she was in danger here. If Sasuke constantly felt concerned for her, then she was never going to earn his respect.

A sudden fire bursting to life within her, Sakura quietly stood to her feet. The torch had almost completely faded, and like the ninja she was, Sakura used the darkness to her advantage. She glided silently through it until she reached the door. Let Sasuke get his rest; if they were going to be leaving for Suna tomorrow, then Sakura only had a few hours to make the most of her visit to this dimension.

The door conceded without so much as a squeak from its dusty hinges.


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note:** Again, I apologize for not having this out until now. I have been absolutely swamped. I am hoping my time will free up a lot this summer. Thanks for your patience.

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Chapter 20** **:** **No More.**

Sasuke thought it was the sudden light of sunrise that was signaling the instincts within his body to wake. That is, until a growing warmth began to bloom over his face and a sweat beaded across his forehead.

The Uchiha sucked in a sharp breath and opened his eyes. An orb of orange flame hovered a couple of feet in front of his face and Sasuke had to blink several times before his eyes could adjust enough to recognize the stooped frame illuminated just behind it.

Sasuke jerked back away from the flame as he croaked hoarsely, "What the-" He coughed on his own words, his throat strangely dry.

"You're finally awake," Sakura's voice floated softly across the short space between them. Finally, the torch was withdrawn and Sasuke let out a small sigh of relief. The torch was quickly replaced with a pale hand that touched the sweaty plane of his brow. "I'm starting to think that you might be sick."

"I'm starting to think you're annoying _and_ crazy," he moaned, glancing around him. It took the Uchiha a second to recall where exactly he was. They were still in Kaguya's tower, up the stairs and in this pitch-black room. He couldn't tell how much time had passed since he'd fallen asleep.

"You've been asleep for almost 24 hours!" Sakura whispered loudly, almost as if she was afraid to overwhelm his senses. Sasuke was grateful because he suddenly felt a little disoriented-perhaps he had exhausted himself more than he had thought.

When Sasuke thought about it, more time usually stretched between his uses of the Rinnegan. Yes, he had spent almost a week and a half in the village and had roamed aimlessly outside of the realms for a week before he had even decided to turn towards Konoha. So essentially, he had had almost 2 and a half weeks to recover most of his chakra _just_ to blow it on coming here. Thankfully, by only teleporting to the core dimension, Sasuke had only used 1/4th of the reserves he normally spent. It was a complicated math problem: his dojustu needed enough chakra to get him to the core dimension and then enough to open any of the other connected realms (all of which used varying levels of chakra) and still more to do those same steps but in reverse-not to mention, that he needed chakra to save in case he encountered an enemy.

This was Sasuke's biggest problem while searching for Kaguya. He felt like so much of his time was wasted just on letting his body recover enough to jump between realms, and the Uchiha already felt like time was slipping between his fingers. Just how much longer did he have? This was why they needed to leave—to go to the Sand village so that Sasuke might conduct an experiment and test a theory of his.

Lost in thought, Sasuke's eyes had drifted closed again despite the glaring light of the flame in front of him. If he was this tired, he must have emptied himself more than he thought, probably not taking into account that he had to use extra by bringing Sakura with him here. Would he have enough to take them home?

Suddenly, a green glow replaced the flame's brightness and Sasuke jumped when the palm on his forehead pressed harder. Without meaning to, Sasuke leaned into the cool, green brilliance of Sakura's fingers. When Sasuke's head began to clear, he let himself absorb the chakra, his body greedily accepting it. But then, an image of his former red-haired teammate pushing her scarred skin between his teeth had Sasuke reaching up and pulling Sakura's hand down.

He wasn't the person to do that sort of thing anymore. "That's enough," he croaked, throat still scratchy from little use.

"Don't be silly," she whispered again as her fingertips moved to his throat and began glowing again, healing this part of him too. "We need to get you out of this room."

Sasuke stared up at her. Her face was dirty, and he was suddenly aware of just how long 24 hours must have seemed like to her-and in this perpetual darkness. "You could've woken me up sooner."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Says the grump who growled at me just seconds ago for waking him."

In answer, Sasuke growled. Just for good measure—so the pink-haired kunoichi wouldn't forget.

That bright sound of her giggle escaping her mouth had the _thought_ of smirk coming to Sasuke's mind, but when the kunoichi reached out, grabbed his tunic and practically lifted him to his feet, Sasuke snarled again, all joking aside. That damn strength surprised him every time—not to mention that by doing such a thing, she made Sasuke feel a little feeble.

He hissed when his weight settled to his stiff ankles. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck to disguise the sound. Sakura giggled again, obviously taking much delight in his current predicament.

"Come on," she tugged on his elbow—purposefully avoiding his hand—and Sasuke began to walk forward, focused on the woman in front of him.

…..

 _Little steps,_ she almost said to him after pulling him forward. But with her hand on his arm and their bodies so close in this dimness, Sakura didn't let the words escape her mouth in case he might misread her meaning.

In truth, she was starving. It was the reason she had finally woken him. Now the _way_ in which she woke him could have been different, but the medical side of her couldn't help but make an experiment out of it though: seeing how his body would respond to the light after being submerged in night for a 24-hour period. It took her a long time to re-ignite that infuriating torch so that she might mimic the sun.

Sasuke didn't know—hadn't realized that he had been by himself for hours at a time during his deep sleep. Sakura had left him soon after he had gone under. Sakura had left that room with a sense of thrilling determination, eager and hopeful to _finally_ prove her usefulness to the Uchiha. However, after marching aimlessly around for hours, Sakura found—well, not much. Okay… she found nothing.

She had searched for 3 hours inside this confusing maze of a tower looking for everything and anything that might be useful to them: structures, forms of writing or symbols, patterns of similarities or differences. There just wasn't _anything._

At best, Sakura was able to figure out and easily navigate this entire damn maze within that time. Each tunnel and every turn brought her back to that single room in which Sasuke remained sleeping. Each time she reentered, Sasuke would stir, years of ninja instincts alerting him to her coming and going.

"Sleep," she had whispered as she placed her glowing hand over his eyes and sent a soothing sensation down through her chakra, and he had fallen back into sleep. Sakura _did_ feel guilty for that—coaxing his body back into a sleep. She had only done it once, but Sasuke had stopped stirring after that. So Sakura had taken advantage of the situation and left the tower completely.

She was gone for four hours that time. Wherever the light was coming from, Sakura didn't know, but it never darkened in this dimension—a sky always alight with a sun that never warmed or set. The medical ninja didn't like it, but the tower's darkness made a lot more sense taking that fact into consideration. But _why? Who,_ other than Kaguya had ever made use of it?

Sakura had been determined to find _something_ out. It was with this conviction, that had the kunoichi marching through the rising and falling dunes for two hours after that, looking back and forth for a sign of anything-anything at all. But this dimension was like a red, rocky desert that never changed. There wasn't another tower within that two-hour radius like she was hoping. She had even kicked through the dirt in search of any living thing, but there was nothing, so she stomped her foot into the red rock and turned on her heel back towards the tower.

When Sakura had arrived, Sasuke still slept silently and soundly in the dark, so she had curled up against the opposite wall and let her frustration pull her own body under. When she woke, Sakura sat up and was surprised to see that Sasuke still slept. It was then that she suspected her influence earlier had placed the Uchiha in a deep sleep—a sleep his body desperately needed. But she also wondered if he were sick, which was why his body was so eager for the rest. So she watched his even breathing for another hour or two, but then her empty stomach began to growl.

Now, as she led Sasuke through the maze, she desperately wished she were leading him to some big discovery, or some secret she had found. This was what she had wanted, and now felt disappointed because she was missing out on the chance to do so. Sakura supposed it made sense that if Sasuke hadn't found anything, she wouldn't have had much of a chance either. He _had_ been doing this for quite a while.

So she was going to pretend that none of it had happened. It was far less embarrassing to act as if she hadn't searched at all than to admit she _had_ and didn't find anything. She sighed.

"I've never slept that long at one time," Sasuke admitted curiously to her, which was unlike himself. He never admitted to anything at all, let alone force it to sound somewhat sorry for it. Was he suspicious of her actions. _There's no way,_ she thought to herself.

Sakura forced out an innocent laugh. "It's a good thing to catch up on some much-needed rest. Take it as advice from your doctor."

The Uchiha scoffed but didn't say anything else after that, even though Sakura could feel his scowling stare between her shoulder blades. She just kept marching.

When they finally made it to the cave, Sasuke turned back towards the tower's hidden door, firmly snuffed out the torch, and replaced it back in its hidden position behind the door's frame.

The sudden blackness around them afterwards was suffocating, but when she felt Sasuke's fingertips brush her elbow—in the same way that her own had reached for his over and over—Sakura let her smile break the seam of her own lips. It was short-lived, because Sakura froze when her eyes adjusted enough to make out Sasuke's Sharingan—which almost seemed to glow in the darkness—watching that smile. She knew the Uchiha had seen when he withdrew his fingers. She regretted the smile, then.

"Come on," he said emotionlessly, walking ahead of her in the gloom. This time, he didn't grab her arm or help her stumble her way out as he had helped her when they had first come upon the cave yesterday.

There was no wind that hit them when they finally walked into the light, but rather a brightness that was dead and airless. It didn't fill Sakura with the warmth that she had instinctively expected it to.

Sasuke finally spoke, announcing, "We need to make it back to the same spot in which we teleported."

Sakura snapped her head in his direction, "What for?" That would mean they would have to trek for several more hours.

"It is much easier to connect a vast time-space if you teleport through a door that was previously opened before," Sasuke explained, running his palm through his hair. "It's almost like once there is a rip in space, it leaves a wound that can be reopened."

He was speaking in a language that Sakura could easily understand, being a medical ninja. If the skin has been recently penetrated, it is easy to reopen. But once the skin scars, it becomes stronger than before.

"But then," Sakura assessed, "if too much time has passed…"

"Exactly," Sasuke confirmed her thinking. "The seal becomes almost permanent. It would take a vast amount of chakra to break back through it again."

"Makes sense," she replied, shuffling her feet in the dirt. "It's a lot more complicated than I had imagined."

Sasuke nodded, took a breath, and took the first step of their lengthy hike across the dunes.

Sakura observed his fixed posture and confident step, but the dark-haired ninja wasn't fooling her. She knew he was trying to figure out how to get them home without completely draining himself of chakra. But there was something she hadn't yet considered.

Catching up with him, she leaned forward and asked, "If we go back to the hotel, won't we be walking back into an uncertain situation? I mean, those ninja could be waiting for us."

"Perhaps," Sasuke admitted. "Hopefully enough time has passed for them to have moved on, and they might not be expecting us to return there. But you are right. We need a plan."

Suddenly, an idea began to form within Sakura's mind. She halted in her tracks, a bit of dust rising around her, and said, "I have one."

Stopping too, Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her. He was waiting for her to explain, which was a nostalgic feeling for Sakura. He was _listening_ to her again, like he had when they were genin—taking her opinions into consideration and contemplating her viewpoints.

"What if I helped you," she announced hopefully, "like I offered before." If she used The Hundred's Healing Mark, then they might have enough chakra where they didn't have to make the journey.

"Absolutely not," Sasuke deadpanned, instantly turning off his reception of her by rotating away again.

Sakura set her teeth in fury and frustration, but she didn't move her body an inch. Her plan made the most sense! Sasuke was low in chakra while _she_ had been slowly storing a mass amount of it in the seal on her forehead. If she let Sasuke rely on his power alone, then they were forced to use their previous door because it took the least amount of chakra to access. By doing so, their location would undoubtedly put them at a disadvantage if their foes were still occupying that space around the hotel. And it would leave Sasuke vulnerable if his power was back at zero.

She didn't really understand why Sasuke was saying no to this. He had slept for 24 hours just so they wouldn't have to rely on her Strength of a Hundred Seal. Whether it was because he was being _noble_ or something else, Sakura didn't care. If she let him use up his chakra, how was she any better?

Sakura Haruno glared at Sasuke's back. She was quite tired of seeing it—seeing him leading the way before her. As a kunoichi, Sakura thought she had proven herself—was going to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with Naruto and Sasuke from now on. But there he was, marking the path ahead.

No more. No more.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

There was a sudden wind that brushed the back of Sasuke's neck and he felt a silent roar of chakra spread across the range of ground behind him. He turned, taken aback and clenched his teeth in surprised irritation at the teammate whose beaming grin glowed as brightly as the tangible chakra emanating from her body.

Those searing, bright green eyes were directed towards the sky as she flexed her hands—open, close—open, close. Sasuke followed her gaze when it fell to the black marks running from her palms, up her shoulders, and to the crisscross "x" on her brow. Then her eyes landed on him.

Sasuke had to admit that the kunoichi was honestly quite brilliant to look at like that: rejuvenated by and delighting in her own power— _feeling_ it electrify and exhilarate her as it began coursing down the pathways. But his annoyance with her focused his mind and Sasuke glowered in response.

She was defying his wishes and purposely breaking the seal to force him into a decision. Sasuke didn't quite appreciate that, but was he going to waste this opportunity? Yes, he was. He would prove to her once and for all that he was changing. That he was done using people.

She began to walk towards him, and Sasuke didn't break their mutual stare, hers one of mighty determination and his an icy challenge. He'd be damned— _damned_ if he used her power.

Coming to stand before him, in all her strength, Sasuke broke her gaze to focus on that glowing purple diamond in the center of that large temple of hers. Everything about it was so… so… "annoying." It came out as a stuttering hiss.

She grinned wickedly at the word and reached out, taking his hand firmly in her own. Her grip was so firm that Sasuke couldn't jerk away this time. He found himself glowering viciously, all amusement gone from his red and purple eyes.

" _You_ are annoying," she said softly, letting her chakra graze against his skin in silent offering. "Let me help you. Quit being so damn stubborn."

Sasuke set his teeth again. He almost said no, without giving her any further explanation, but then Sakura spoke again, as if their linked hands were somehow transferring his thoughts to her. "Relying upon your friends is not the same as using them. Let us work together so that we can complement one another's weaknesses with our strengths. Become each other's balance."

Sasuke stared at this woman who was offering him a partnership that _depended_ on one another—like they had had in the past. It had existed between them before—that bond of friendship that seemed to connect the two of them not only in ability, but emotions as well. He had tried to sever that type of partnership with her before. If he did this, would he be letting her in? Would he be acknowledging that bond of comradery between them? What if he let her in and then she was taken away from him? What would that do to him, _them_ , by working together now?

"Open the portal."

Another minute of hesitation. His jaw loosened and Sasuke took a nervous breath as he replayed her words over and over.

 _Relying upon your friends is not the same as using them._

 _Let us work together._

 _Become each other's balance._

"It's okay," she reassured him. "Open it."

Sasuke's tilted his head so that his hair fell away from the Rinnegan. His breathing turned shallow as he finally conceded and a black pinprick in the air around them began to expand. A sudden rush of energy flowed into his veins as black stripes began to spiral slowly up his arms. He looked at his teammate in amazement—at their joined hands now being wrapped together with bands of black chakra. It almost looked like they were being tied together.

When the markings reached his neck and crawled up his chin, Sasuke inhaled sharply, as if he were getting his first full gulp of fresh air since being in this damn place. His exhausted body welcomed the chakra, feasting on it as it had back in the tower. He flinched in self-repulsion, but Sakura breathed hard and directed more of her power into him. Where his body begged, her chakra was there to instantly feed it.

When the strips of charcoal reached his own forehead, Sasuke focused intently on the portal. It jumped in response to Sakura's chakra, flaring and expanding large enough to finally walk through. He glanced back at her and noticed a sheen now coating her own forehead. That's when Sasuke suddenly realized what she was doing.

The justu demanded chakra and she was acting as a direct current, bypassing Sasuke's chakra entirely, not allowing any of his energy to be used, but hers only. She was sending it all—every bit of her own chakra to back the jutsu.

Now in a sudden panic, Sasuke breathed "Stop. That's enough."

Sakura's green eyes became unfocussed and her heartbeat quickened rapidly. Her breathing came in sharp inhales and exhales.

Yelling now, he warned, "Sakura! I said stop!" He couldn't let go of her hand.

Sakura wasn't listening to him. She was dedicating her entire focus to the jutsu. Sasuke did the only thing he could think to do. He wrapped his fingers up and around the wrist of her clasping hand and pulled them through the portal.


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note:** Surprise chapter for my awesome readers who have been so supportive and kind during the entirety of Approaching Sun. You guys are my absolute favorite. And to my "guest" reviewers that I cannot respond to: I LOVE YOU.

Also, I will be adding the percentage of each chapter's completion onto my Fanfiction profile and will be updating it as a write. That way you guys will know just how far I have to complete before posting next.

For those who are interested, I have created a playlist for Approaching Sun. It is just a list of songs that inspire certain chapters. The theme songs for this particular chapter are "There's No Way," "Superhero," and "Enemies" by Lauv. Here is the link to the playlist: user/1235990355/playlist/7HmuyTgnSeuTNvhV9kytLw?si=SxBMwlj5SymNiVr1g1HvnA

P.S. I hope you guys are beginning to understand the story's title. I plan on explaining it fully later.

 **Pairing** : SasuSaku

 **Chapter 21** **: Balance**

They had returned to complete darkness. It was the first thing that Sasuke noticed as the two of them practically fell out of the purple portal. When Sasuke's feet hit the ground on the other side, he pulled Sakura to him as the two quickly tipped, causing Sasuke to land somewhat ungracefully on his back. Catching the brunt of their fall, Sasuke hissed.

It took the Uchiha a second to process that they had made it back into their own dimension, before he ended the jutsu and the spiraling door of his time-space technique collapsed upon itself. It was hard to see it because of the dimness around them, and Sasuke realized it must be either late night or early morning. The absence of feeling completely drained had Sasuke's attention immediately turning to the kunoichi, whom he still held tightly to his chest through their connected hands.

He could feel that she was breathing, which was a relief, and his alarm faded slightly when her chin brushed against his chest and he found himself staring into her conscious green eyes, somewhat visible in the dark. Sakura blinked hard and Sasuke could practically feel the black marks slipping from his body as they returned to her, untangling their joined hands and quickly receding up her chin, cheeks, and forehead.

Sasuke realized he was still clenching her hand even after the chakra stripes faded, and after a second, he came to his senses and released it immediately, moving his arm to support her back as he tried to sit up. In response, Sakura did some sort of scrambling motion to relieve him of her weight which had them both awkwardly fighting each other's moves to detangle themselves.

"Ah, I'm—" Sakura began in flustered rasp.

Suddenly embarrassed, Sasuke jerked back his hand and let go of her completely at the exact same moment that she tried to lurch away. This only resulted in Sakura falling over the side of his leg and landing onto her hands and knees.

"—Sorry," she breathed, not righting herself and remaining crouched as she caught her breath.

Sasuke berated himself for his actions next, but he was unable to conceal his concern. Grabbing her upper arm, he pulled her up and helped her settle against a tree. Because of the lack of light, Sasuke didn't move too far away from her so that he might still see her face.

The Uchiha knelt in front of her for a long minute before he asked genuinely, "Are you okay?"

She nodded.

"Why did you do that?" Sasuke asked quietly, still only a foot's distance away from her.

Still breathing hard, Sakura looked up to meet his eyes. She blinked at him innocently. "What?"

"Why did you _do_ that?" he bit out, which caused the kunoichi to furrow her eyebrows together in reproach, not understanding his irate tone. Sasuke didn't even realize that there _was_ anger bobbing on the surface of his worry, until the words were out of his mouth.

"I just wanted to help—" she began, but Sasuke interrupted her.

With that same edged tone, he said, "You tricked me."

"No—" she began, but in his anger, Sasuke kept talking.

He got closer to her face than he had originally intended to. "Is that what a partnership means to you? Surrendering yourself like that?" Sasuke knew it was a harsh accusation, and that Sakura had meant nothing negative by doing so. He was thoroughly impressed at her strength, but that didn't matter to him anymore. He had stopped evaluating others' worth by their power.

Before, he would have calculated how to use that power in the future. Sasuke would have thought something like " _Better her than me"_ and told her not to let her fatigue keep them from moving forward. He couldn't help feeling like the him _before_ as his body was currently experiencing the result of what Sakura had done at her own expense.

Not only had she completely bypassed his own chakra network and directly supplied his dojutsu with the chakra it needed, but the medic had also pumped his body so full of her own energy that it left Sasuke with more chakra than when he had teleported them to that forsaken realm to begin with. She had emptied herself so that he might be restored in all his strength.

A partnership didn't leave the other party at their worst. It left the Uchiha feeling like he had used her—like he had done with so many others. That was why he was hesitant to rely on her Strength of a Hundred seal to begin with.

"Sasuke," she began between gasps. "I'm sorry."

No, he thought. She needed to know _exactly_ what he thought. "I have spent years taking from others and feeling absolutely nothing once they were reduced to the state that you are now in. Is that what you want to be to me?"

She continued to blink at him in the dark, and Sasuke realized something as he recalled what she had told him twice before: " _I will help you get your revenge."_ That's who she thought he _wanted_ her to be to him. The thought almost made him physically ill.

"That's not a partnership!" he hissed in her face and stood up. "That's not _balance._ You lied. _"_

"Yes," she admitted. "If you put it like that, then I lied. But I did what I believed was best. I am fine, and I still have chakra. Transferring you that much chakra was because of what I did back at the tow—" but she stopped and her eyes widened as they focused on something past him.

Feeling the hairs suddenly stand on the back of his neck and arm, Sasuke turned, silent and aware that someone had just appeared at his back. When he spun, Sasuke effortlessly pulled his sword from its sheath and held it between himself and the enemy, all while wearing that signature glare of his.

Placing himself in front of his teammate, Sasuke pointed his blade at the multitude of shadowy figures that now stood scattered around them and between the trees. A million thoughts went through Sasuke's mind when he realized that there were _several_ of them and he and Sakura were now completely surrounded.

One thought being that he felt like an amateur for not assessing their surroundings more closely. The second was that he needed to get Sakura out of here _without_ ducking into a dimension this time. Sasuke didn't know _how_ the enemy knew where they would appear, but he needed to deal with these strange ninja who were after them, once and for all. There were no more thoughts after that as he allowed himself to slip into a calm, fierce determination to kill each and every single one of them that so much as came near them.

But when a voice called out to them through the darkness, a bell of recognition rang throughout Sasuke's head that eased his alarm slightly. "Who are you?" the ninja called out with edged authority in his voice. "Tell us why you are here."

Sasuke's sharingan flashed in the ninja's direction, but Sasuke didn't lower his sword even when he approached, until he heard Sakura say his name: "Kankuro?"

Frowning, Sasuke lowered his blade. Because he and Sakura didn't use the previous door, Sasuke realized then that the teleportation must have brought them two hours west. They had practically tumbled out onto the border between the Lands of Wind and Rivers. How convenient. But why did they have to run into these guys so soon?

It was then that Sasuke recognized the ninja by the faint purple markings on his face and the shinobi symbol of Sunagakure on his forehead. When the puppet master came within a few feet of them, he raised his hand in silent communication for his companions. Kankuro smiled largely at them in recognition. "Ah. Uchiha and Sakura. We have been expecting you."

Still sitting on the ground, Sakura asked up at the approaching ninja, a smile spreading across her face. "You were expecting us?"

Kankuro nodded at them, confirming, "We got your message, Sasuke. As soon as we heard that the two of you were headed this way, we were sent to intercept you."

"The two of us?" Sakura asked.

"Yes," he explained with a knowing smile. "Along with Sasuke's letter, we received word from the Hokage that Konoha's most renowned medic might also be in company."

Sasuke couldn't help but narrow his eyes at the unexpected compliment, something fierce honing itself within.

"An escort for the Hokage's pupils is the least we can do," he finished despite Sasuke's glare. "Not to mention that you both played a part in saving the world."

"We thank you," Sakura replied with a blush. When she spoke, Sasuke and Kankuro both noticed that she did so breathlessly as the result of her weariness. She made to stand, and the puppet master instinctively reached out towards her with concern when she stumbled slightly. "Are you okay there?"

Before Kankuro could so much as offer her his help, Sasuke intercepted her himself. He didn't know why he did it, but the Uchiha quickly grabbed her elbow with his right hand and lifted it over his head as if it were the most casual thing for him to do. It took Sakura a blinking second to register that Sasuke was offering her assistance, but she quickly settled into his side.

"Long journey," she explained simply to the sand ninja, making quick eye contact with Sasuke before letting her gaze fall back on the puppet master.

Sasuke cleared his throat after Kankuro watched them silently for longer than a few seconds.

"We'll get you some refreshments as soon as we are back in Sunagakure," Kankuro promised. He turned then, motioning for a few ninja to come forward. Accepting their new orders as scouts, the unfamiliar ninja nodded and disappeared in the trees.

After a few conversations between shinobi, they were ready to make the remaining voyage towards Sunagakure. Even in the dark, Sasuke could glimpse flashes of Sakura's embarrassed flush as Sasuke supported her weight. He did his best to hide his own as his hand fisted into the clothing closest to her hip. He drew her nearer so that he supported most of her weight.

When her eyes grew wide, Sasuke offered her a one-word explanation that both reminded her of their unfinished dispute and assured her of its finish. "Balance."

Sasuke also hoped the word reached her in another way. He wanted to prove to her that he could be a partner that didn't solely take. He would carry the kunoichi the whole damn way if he had to.

…..

Sakura Haruno gazed out at the ripples of pink-glistened sand that rose into small dunes ahead of them. The sunrise at their caravan's backs practically highlighted the desert hills in such a way that the sight shaped Sakura's perceptions of beauty.

"Wow," Sakura exclaimed upon seeing the rosy scenery. She had only ever walked this path during mid-day when the sun was at its highest—and hottest—which always had Sakura grateful for her fortunate—and much cooler—upbringing in the Leaf. It was dumbfounding how the time of day had her reconsidering her dislike for the desert.

A small laughter brought Sakura back from her meditative appreciation, and she blinked when a younger kunoichi from the group—someone Sakura had never talked to before—walked up beside Sakura and remarked, "It matches your hair!"

"Oh," Sakura grinned at the ninja, reaching up to finger her hair with her free hand. "You think so?"

"Yes!" the girl exclaimed, "It reminded me of the sunrise as soon as I saw you! It's very beautiful!"

Sakura grinned shyly at the girl. The female ninja looked then at Sasuke with that same enthusiasm. "Yours is the opposite, because it looks like nightfall!" Sakura swore that Sasuke's uncaring attitude and blank expression is the reason she ran up to the front of the group soon after.

Kankuro, who was currently leading their company, called back, "If you like _this,_ then you should see the desert during sunset."

"I'll have to make sure to see it while we are here!" she called out to him. Why she had never cared to see before, she didn't know. Most likely because every time she had been here prior, she had been incredibly preoccupied.

Sasuke, who had remained quiet for their entire trek, shuffled her weight on his shoulders to regain her attention because he was preparing to move forward again. When their feet slid a little bit in the sand, Sakura offered him an embarrassed grin.

"I think I am alright now, Sasuke," she admitted despite how much she was enjoying their tread. She thought back to all the times she offered Sasuke her support in the same way just to be next to him. That was such a long time ago. Sakura made to take back her arm, but Sasuke didn't release his hold on her side.

He only continued to move forward and said, "Anyone can see that you are dead on your feet. You'll only slow us down, so I guess I'm just going to have to drag you the whole way."

Sakura scowled at him. He certainly had a way to spoil the pleasant moments between them. But even when he turned his head, Sakura could see the small upturn of Sasuke's lips at her glower.

"Annoying?" she asked, testing the word on her lips. The word's connotation seemed to be changing in her mind the more that the two of them used it—which was _very_ often. Unfortunately.

"Hn," he snorted in agreement. "Insufferable."

Thoroughly enjoying their small banter, Sakura replied with a closed-eyed grin, "Get used to it."

Sasuke didn't say anything to that. They fell back into a silence, so Sakura's eyes flashed back and forth for a second as she worked up the courage to take advantage of it. Everyone else in their escort was several paces ahead of them, so Sakura readdressed their tense conversation from earlier.

She sighed. "I have to admit something else to you."

Sasuke's expression completely changed as he eyed her apprehensively. "What?"

Sakura had tried to tell him this before Kankuro and the other Sand ninja approached them. Bringing it up now took twice the nerve. "While you were asleep back in Kaguya's tower, I went exploring the dimension by myself."

There was a silence. No answer. But before he could think of a response, she also blurted, "And what's worse, is that I might have—" She took a breath, "—even coaxed your body into a longer sleep . . ."

The Uchiha's black and purple eyes flashed at her then, and his feet faltered a step. "You did what?" he hissed.

Cringing guiltily, Sakura rubbed the back of her neck and dropped her eyes to the right. "I just wanted to prove to you that I could help. I didn't know that helping you sleep would keep you from waking up. Your body must have really needed the rest. I'm sorry."

Sakura knew that if his hand wasn't currently fisted into her side, it would have gone up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

After an annoyed sigh, Sasuke just tugged her closer, which she thought impossible until it happened. "If you want this . . . partnership to work, I have to be able to trust you. That was a very stupid thing to do and all you accomplish by doing things like that is making me regret bringing you."

Sakura blinked at that word "trust" and flinched inwardly at his words. The weight of them made her entire being feel heavy with disappointment. How could she explain her desire to prove to him that she could be useful? His earlier words came to mind: " _Is that what you want to be to me?"_

After along minute, Sasuke spoke again, his voice almost a whisper, "I know who you are. I know what you are capable of. I know your power. You can stop trying to prove to me that you aren't weak.

Her eyes widened at the comment, which was so completely unexpected. It was like Sasuke was suddenly _talking_ to her for the first time—outright acknowledging her. It was what she had always wanted—to hear him say those words. Little did she know that she had already _proven_ herself to him. She tucked his words, and the feelings with them, away in her heart.

Face blank from any expression, Sasuke said again, "While we travel together, we can ' _rely on one another'_ as you call it. But there are guidelines."

Still somewhat elated at this sudden progress between them, Sakura nodded enthusiastically. "Anything."

"I have to trust you. So don't be stupid."

Sakura immediately frowned. What did she honestly expect?

"Also, no more stunts like earlier." In other words, he wanted to be _balanced._ He wanted it to be a fifty-fifty partnership. Symbiotic and equal.

 _That one,_ Sakura could agree to even though she still didn't regret what she did with her power earlier. When she thought about it, maybe that's how Sasuke wanted it to be because he considered her his equal now? Sakura wouldn't hold her breath on that one. She just smiled, looked ahead, and said, "Okay."

….

Sasuke should have added _more_ guidelines to their agreement. And as he walked towards Sunagakure through that beautiful garnet desert with its look-a-like at his hip, he knew precisely what he _needed_ to add.

 _No more of this, either._

But Sasuke didn't want to add that one.


End file.
